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The Early Upanisads 

ANNOTATED TEXT AND TRANSLATION 


TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY: PATRICK OLIVELLE 



THE EARLY UPANISADS 



SOUTH ASIA RESEARCH 
Series Editor 
Richard Lariviere 

A Publication Series of 

The University of Texas Center for Asian Studies 
and Oxford University Press 


THE EARLY UPANISADS 
Annotated Text and Translation 
Patrick Olivelle 

INDIAN EPIGRAPHY 

A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, 
and the Other Indo- Aryan Languages 
Richard Saloman 

A DICTIONARY OF OLD MARATHI 
Anne Feldhaus 


DONORS, DEVOTEES, AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD 
Temple Women in Medieval Tamilnadu 
Leslie C. Orr 



THE EARLY UPANISADS 


ANNOTATED TEXT AND TRANSLATION 


Patrick Olivelle 


New York Oxford 
Oxford University Press 


1998 




Oxford University Press 

Oxford New York 

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Copyright © 1998 by Patrick Olivelle 

The Introduction, Translation, and Notes to the Translation 
first appeared in slightly different form as an Oxford World’s Classics paperback 
entitled Upanisads, Copyright © 1996 by Patrick Olivelle. 

Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 
Upanishads. English 

The early Upanisads : annotated text and 
translation / Patrick Olivelle. 
p. cm. (South Asia research) 

Includes bibliographical references and index. 

ISBN 0-19-512435-9 
I. Olivelle, Patrick. II. Title. 

III. Series: South Asia research (New York, N.Y) 

BL1 124.52.E5 1998 

294.5*921 8- dc21 98-17677 


3 5 798642 


Printed in the United States of America 
on acid-free paper 



For 

Ludo Rocher 
and 

Richard Gombrich 

And in memory of 
Thomas Burrow 
and 

R. C. Zaehner 




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Preface 


In the summer of 1996, after the publication of my translation of the Upanisads in 
the Oxford University Press series World’s Classics, the thought occurred to me to 
produce an edition of the Upanisads containing both the text and the translation, as 
well as variant readings and scholarly conjectures. I consulted with my two col- 
leagues, Richard Lariviere and Gregory Schopen, who enthusiastically endorsed the 
project and encouraged me to publish the volume in the new series South Asia Re- 
search published jointly by the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Texas 
at Austin and by Oxford University Press, New York. I want to thank Richard (the 
editor of the series), Gregory, and Cynthia Read (executive editor at OUP in charge 
of this series) for their support and encouragement. Insightful comments and criti- 
cisms of the two outside readers were very useful and deeply appreciated. Anna 
Shtutina read the entire Sanskrit text and the variant readings given in the notes; I 
thank her for her patience and diligence. I want to thank the editors of World’s Clas- 
sics for permission to reproduce here much of the material published in that edition. 
My gratitude to the many individuals, especially Joel Brereton, who helped me in 
the preparation of the translation has already been acknowledged in the preface to 
that edition. Madhav Deshpande created the beautiful fonts in which this book is 
set. 

It may be useful to say a few words about some of the decisions and compro- 
mises that have gone into the preparation of this volume. The translation and the 
introduction as originally published in World’s Classics were intended for a nonspe- 
cialist audience. I had the choice of completely reworking them for the more spe- 
cialized readership of the current edition. Given the constraints of time imposed on 
me by other research projects and academic responsibilities, I decided against it. 
Such a reworking would have postponed this volume almost indefinitely. I hope that 
even the readers of this volume will find the present translation and introduction of 
some use in their exploration of the Upanisads. Another desideratum would have 
been a Sanskrit word index. I started working on one, but once again constraints of 
time made me decide against it. Readers can find an exhaustive index in Vishva 
Bandhu (1945) and useful lists in Limaye and Vadekar (1958) and Jacob (1891). I 
go into greater detail regarding specific decisions involving the edition and the 
translation in my notes on the edition and on the translation. My hope, however, is 
that even though I have fallen short of my own ideal of what a scholarly edition 



Preface 


of the Upanisads should be, this volume will spur further scholarly interest in these 
important documents of India’s religious and cultural history. 

The publication of this volume was aided by a University Cooperative Society 
Subvention Grant awarded by The University of Texas at Austin and a subvention 
from the Marlene and Morton Meyerson Endowment for South Asian Studies of the 
University of Texas at Austin. 

It is always the family that bears the brunt of a project such as this. My wife, 
Suman, not only provided comfort and encouragement but also proofread the entire 
manuscript several times. She has an eye for the detail and caught many errors, es- 
pecially in the Sanskrit text. My daughter, Meera, was the model of patience as I 
stared at a computer screen for hours on end. They provided an environment of love 
and peace. 


Austin, Texas 
April 1998 


P. O. 



Contents 


Abbreviations, xi 
Note on the Edition, xv 
Note on the Translation, xx 
Introduction, 3 

The Social Background of the Upanisads, 4 
The Literary History of the Upanisads, 7 
Vedic Rituals, 16 
Vedic Cosmologies, 19 
Human Physiology and Psychology, 22 
Cosmic Connections, 24 

1 . Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, 29 

2. Chandogya Upanisad, 166 

3. Taittiriya Upanisad, 288 

4. Aitareya Upanisad, 315 

5. Kausltaki Upanisad, 324 

6. Kena Upanisad, 363 

7. Katha Upanisad, 372 

8. Isa Upanisad, 405 

9. Svetasvatara Upanisad, 413 

10. Mundaka Upanisad, 434 

1 1 . Prasna Upanisad, 457 

12. Mandukya Upanisad, 473 



Contents 


Appendix: Names of Gods, People, and Places, 478 
Notes 

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, 487 
Chandogya Upanisad, 532 
Taittiriya Upanisad, 571 
Aitareya Upanisad, 578 
Kausitaki Upanisad, 581 
Kena Upanisad, 596 
Katha Upanisad, 599 
Isa Upanisad, 6 1 1 
Svetasvatara Upanisad, 614 
Mundaka Upanisad, 629 
Prasna Upanisad, 636 
Mandukya Upanisad, 641 

Bibliography, 643 

Index, 653 



Abbreviations 


AA 

AB 

ALB 

AnSS 

AU 

AV 


BhG 

BKSGW 

BR 

BS 


BSS 

BU 

BU(K) 

BU(M) 

CU 

EVP 

Frenz 

HOS 

IHQ 

IIJ 

IndT 


Aitareya Aranyaka. Ed. and tr. Keith (1909). Ed. with Sayana’s com- 
mentary (AnSS 38, 1959). 

Aitareya Brahmana. Ed. with Sayan’s commentary. 2 vols. (AnSS 32, 
1896). Tr. Keith (1920). 

Adyar Library Bulletin. 

Anandasrama Sanskrit Series, Poona. 

Aitareya Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara and 
Anandagiri, and Vidyaranya (AnSS 1 1, 1931). 

Atharva Veda. Ed. with Sayan’s commentary by Vishva Bandhu. 
Vishveshvaranand Indological Series 13-17 (Hoshiarpur, 1960-64). Tr. 
W. D. Whitney (HOS 7-8, 1905). 

Bhagavad Gita. Ed. and tr. W. G. P. Hill (London: Oxford University 
Press, 1928). 

Berichte iiber die Verhandlungen der koniglich sdchsischen Gesellschaft 
der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, Philologisch-historische Classe. 

O. Bohtlingk and R. Roth. Sanskrit-Worterbuch, 7 vols. Reprint of 
1855-75. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1990. 

Brahma Sutras of Badarayana. Ed. with Samkara’s commentary (Bom- 
bay: Nirnaya Sagar Press, 1948). Tr. with Samkara’s commentary by G. 
Thibaut. 2 pts. (SBE 34, 1890; SBE 38, 1896). 

Samkara’s commentary on the BS. 

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad. Ed. with Samkara’s commentary (AnSS 15, 
1939). 

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, Kanva Recension. 

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, Madhyandina Recension. Ed. in SB by Weber. 
Chandogya Upanisad. Ed. with Samkara’s commenary in 
Snsamkaragranthavalih, 5 (Srirangam: n. d.). 

Etudes vediques et paninineennes. Renou 1955-69. 

Frenz (1967-68). 

Harvard Oriental Series, Cambridge, Mass. 

Indian Historical Quarterly. 

Indo-Iranian Journal. 

Indologica Taurinensia. 



Abbreviations 


Int. Introduction to this volume. 

IU Isa Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, Anandagiri, 

Samkarananda, etc. (AnSS 5, 1888). 

IU(K) Isa Upanisad, Kanva Recension. Variants given in VS. 

IU(M) Isa Upanisad, Madhyandina Recension in VS. 

JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society. 

JB Jaiminlya Brahmana. Ed. Raghu Vira and Lokesh Chandra (Nagpur, 

1954). Partly tr. Bodewitz (1973). 

JIP Journal of Indian Philosophy. 

JOIB Journal of the Oriental Institute , Baroda. 

JRAS Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 

JU Jaiminiya Upanisad-Brahmana. Ed. Limaye and Vadekar (1958). Ed. 

and tr. Ortel (1896). 

KaSU Katha-Siksa-Upanisad. Ed. and tr. Witzel (1979). 

KaU Katha Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, Anandagiri, 
and Gopalayatlndra (AnSS 7, 1935). 

KeU Kena Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, Anandagiri, 
Samkarananda, and Narayana (AnSS 6, 1926). 

KS Kathaka Samhita. Ed. L. von Schroeder. 3 vols. (Leipzig: F. A. Brock- 

haus, 1900-10). 

KsB Kauslktaki Brahmana. Ed. Shreekrishna Sarma. Verzeichnis der Orien- 
talischen Handscriften in Deutschland. Ed. W. Voigt. Supplementband 
9,1 (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner, 1968). Tr. A. B. Keith (HOS 25, 1920). 

KS-H A. Hillebrandt, Kleiner Schriften. Ed. R. P. Das (Stuttgart: Franz Steiner, 
1987). 

KS-O H. Oertel, Kleiner Schriften, 2 vols. Ed. H. Hettrich and T. Oberlies 
(Stuttgart: Franz Steiner, 1994). 

KS-T P. Thierne, Kleiner Schriften (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner, 1984). 

KsU Kausltaki Upanisad. Ed. with Samkarananda ’s commentary by Cowell 
(1861). 

LU Les Upanishad. Ed. L. Renou (Paris: Adrien-Maisonneuve, 1943-76). 

LV Limaye, V. P. and Vadekar, R. D. (1958). 

MaU Mandukya Upanisad. Ed. with Gaudapada-Karika by R. D. Karmarkar. 
Reprint (Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institue, 1973). 

Mbh Mahabharata. Ed. V. Sukthankar et al. 19 vols. (Poona: Bhandarkar Ori- 
ental Research Institute, 1927-59). Tr. J. A. B. van Buitenen. 3 vols. 
[containing Books 1-5] ( Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1973-78). 

me metri causa , for the sake of meter. 

MS Maitrayanlya Samhita. Ed. L. von Schroeder. 4 vols. (Leipzig: F. A. 

Brockhaus, 1881-86). 

ms(s) manuscripts). 

MtU Maitrayanlya (Maitri) Upanisad. Ed. and tr. J. A. B. van Buitenen (The 
Hague: Mouton, 1962). 

MuU Mundaka Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, Anandagiri, 
and Narayana (AnSS 9, 1935). 


xii 



Abbreviations 


PU Prasna Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara and Anandagiri 

(AnSS 8, 1922). 

RV Rgveda. Ed. with Sayanas commentary by F. Max Muller. 6. vols. 

(London: Wm. H. Allen & co„ 1849-74). Tr. K. F. Geldner (HOS 33-6, 
1951-57). 

SA Sankhayana Aranyaka. Ed. V. G. Apte (AnSS 90, 1922). Tr. Keith 
(1908). 

SB Satapatha Brahmana. Ed. with extracts from the commentaries of Sayana 

and Dvivedagaiiga by A. Weber, 1855. Reprint. Chowkhamba Sanskrit 
Series 96 (Varanasi: 1964). Tr. J. Eggeling (SBE 12, 26, 41, 43, 44, 
1882-1900). 

SBE Sacred Books of the East, Oxford. 

SII Studien zur Indologie und Iranistik. 

SILP Studies in Indian Literature and Philosophy: Collected Articles ofJ. A. 

B. van Buitenen , ed. L. Rocher (American Institute of Indian Studies; 
Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1988). 

SU Svetasvatara Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, 

Samkarananda, Narayana, and Vijnanabhagavat (AnSS 17, 1966). 

TA Taittirlya Aranyaka. Ed. with Sayana’ s commentary. 2 vols. (AnSS 36, 
1898). 

TB Taittirlya Brahmana. Ed. with Sayana’s commentary. 3 vols. (AnSS 37, 

1898). 

TS Taittirlya Samhita. Ed. with Sayana’s commentary. 9 vols. (AnSS 42, 

1900-1908). Tr. Keith (1914). 

TU Taittirlya Upanisad. Ed. with the commentaries of Samkara, Anandagiri, 
Samkarananda, and Narayana (AnSS 12, 1929). 

VaDh Vasistha Dharmasutra. Ed. A. L. Flihrer. Bombay Sanskrit and Prakrit 
Series, 23 (Poona: 1930). Tr. G. BUhler (SBE 2, 1879). 

VIJ Vishveshvaranand Indological Journal. 

vr variant reading(s). 

VS Vajaseneyi Samhita of the White Yajurveda. Ed. in the Madhyandina 

and the Kanva recensions with the commentary of Mahldhara by Weber 
(Berlin: Ferd. Diimmler's Verlag, 1852). 

Weber Weber’s edition of BU(M). 

WZKSA Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde Siidasiens. 

ZD MG Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft. 



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Note on the Edition 


Let me state at the outset that this edition of the twelve early Upanisads does not in 
any way constitute a “critical edition.” A critical edition attempts first to reconstruct 
an archetype that is as close to the “original” text as evidence permits and second to 
reveal the textual history of its reception and transmission through the analysis of 
manuscript variants. Normally, a critical edition also involves the creation of a ge- 
nealogical tree of manuscripts that permits an editor to select readings based not 
merely on his or her own preferences and biases but on objective criteria. A critical 
edition of this type has not been attempted with regard to any ancient Upanisad. 1 

It is not only unfortunate but also a disservice to the field that many scholars, 
going as far back as Otto Bohtlingk, have called their printed texts “critical edition,” 
or “kritische Ausgabe.” 2 Few, if any, of these editors bothered to investigate the 
manuscript tradition. When manuscripts are cited, they are few and not scientifically 
collated. Even the two latest examples of “critical editions,” Maue (1976) and Perez 
Coffie (1994), fall short of the ideal: much of their material comes from previous 
“editions,” which, as we will see, are often unreliable. Maue uses six mss; Perez 
Coffie uses the same six and five others. Of these eleven mss., only three are from 
Indian collections. Although Maue and Perez Coffie represent a move in the right 
direction and have in addition given us for the first time the accented editions of the 
Kanva recension, unless a systematic survey of the Indian materials is undertaken, 
all “critical editions” of the Upanisads will fall far short of the ideal. 

The edition I present here is a “conservative” one. I have tried to be as faithful 
as possible to the traditionally transmitted text, and I explain below the few occa- 
sions when I depart from it. My decision to be a faithful link to the traditional 
transmission was sparked by the inexcusable and often scandalous liberties that pre- 
vious scholars have taken with Upanisadic texts, liberties that often amount to tex- 
tual butchery. This is not the place to examine this issue in full, but a few examples 
will illustrate the problem. The most egregious example of textual emendation 


1. The only truly critical edition of a group of Upanisads is that of Schrader (1912). Salomon (1991, 
48) also observes the lack of a critical edition of any Upanisad and wonders whether such an edition is 
even feasible. 

2. So, for example, Bohtlingk 1889a, 1889b, 1890a; Hertel 1924; Hauschild 1927; Morgenroth 
1958; Frenz 1968-69. Even Oberlies (1995) depends almost entirely on the evidence of printed editions; 
the only two mss. he takes into account are the ones already used a century ago by Max Muller. 


xv 



Note on the Edition 


without any basis in manuscript evidence but based solely on “philological skill,” 
where the philologist has the hubris to substitute his judgment of what is right and 
wrong for manuscript evidence, is Bohtlingk’s (1889a, 1889b, 1890a) editions of 
five Upanisads, in particular BU and CU. Whitney (1890a) already took exception 
to Bohtlingk’s method, noting “Least of all to be approved, perhaps, is the tamper- 
ing with the traditional text in pure prose passages” (409). What Bohtlingk did was 
to put his conjectures in the text itself, relegating the traditional readings to the 
notes, sometimes at the bottom of the page and sometimes in the endnotes, an inver- 
sion of what should have been done. 3 Later scholars often failed to read Bohtlingk’s 
notes. So, Senart (1930) follows Bohtlingk at CU 1.4.1: om ity etad aksaram 
upasita, taking this to be the traditional text and not realizing that Bohtlingk had 
dropped udgitham of the traditional text, which he places in his endnotes. Incorpo- 
rating conjectures into the text itself becomes even more problematic when the edi- 
tor changes his mind later, as Bohtlingk did in his numerous articles in the 
BKSGW. Later scholars, however, did not read these articles and continued to re- 
peat the emendations of Bohtlingk’s editions. Let me cite one example. CU 8.15.1 
reads guroh karmatisesena. Bohtlingk (1889b) changes it to guroh karma krtvavi- 
sesena. Senart (1930), somewhat reluctantly, follows Bohtlingk’s emendation, 
without realizing that Bohtlingk had changed his mind in a later article (1897a) and 
had accepted the traditional reading. 

Reasons of meter (metri causa ) is a standard, and useful, principle of textual 
criticism. When properly applied, however, it is used to decide between competing 
readings given in the manuscripts. Many editors of the Upanisads, however, have 
used this principle to restore the meter and to emend Upanisadic verses. Caution, 
however, is warranted here because, especially in the later verse Upanisads, we are 
not sure either about the metrical standards in use or about the actual pronunciation 
of words; Alsdorf (1950), for example, has used Prakritic pronunciations (e.g., bhoti 
for bhavati) to restore some meters without the need for textual emendations. Max 
Muller’s (1879, lxxii) wise observation has often been disregarded: “The metrical 
emendations that suggest themselves are generally so easy and so obvious that, for 
that very reason, we should hesitate before correcting what native scholars would 
have corrected long ago, if they had thought there was any real necessity for correc- 
tion.” 4 

The spate of emendations and conjectures introduced into the texts has made it 
difficult in some cases to recover the traditional text and the variant readings found 
actually in the manuscripts. The edition of Limaye and Vadekar (LV) is one that is 
used frequently by scholars (e.g., Salomon 1991, 48), but the variants they cite are 


3. In the CU, for example, Bohtlingk makes the following global changes without any manuscript 
evidence: aitadatmya to etadatmaka, adhidaivam to adhidevatam , and somya to saumya, besides adding 
and deleting iti at will. For a detailed study of such questionable emendations, see Olivelle 1998. 

4. On the danger of correcting metrically incorrect verses, a good example is the three metrically 
incorrect verses found with identical readings in both the Madhyandina and Kanva versions of the IU, 
which is part of the Samhita of the VS. What would metrical corrections accomplish in such cases (see 
Thieme 1965, 98)? 


xvi 



Note on the Edition 


sometimes suspect. 5 For example, CU 4.9.2 reads kame, a reading that caused 
problems for Samkara himself (although unlike his modem counterparts, he tried to 
explain it rather than “correct” it). Deussen (1897) suggested kamam in a note, and 
LV, suspiciously, gives kamam as a variant reading; my guess is that Deussen’ s 
conjecture appears in the LV as a variant! 6 

The faithfulness of the native tradition of copyists and commentators stands in 
sharp contrast to the tampering of these texts by modern scholars. Space does not 
permit a lengthy defense of this statement, but a few examples will suffice. At CU 
3. 14. 1 we have the famous expression tajjalan, which caused problems for Samkara 
himself. He was, however, faithful to the text, although his explanation may sound 
fanciful to us. Bohtlingk (1889b) emends it to taj janani, a perfectly good and easy 
form, without explaining how such a simple word could have become so “cor- 
rupted” into an unintelligible jumble. Surely, the principle of lectio difficilior is the 
bedrock of textual criticism. Salomon (1991, 49) uses this principle to good effect in 
his excellent study of the linguistic peculiarities of the PU, observing that it is the 
existence of a large number of nonstandard Sanskrit forms that argues for the supe- 
riority of Samkara’ s version. Indeed, it is the faithfulness of the traditional transmis- 
sion that has enabled Salomon and other scholars to study the “dialectical” Sanskrit 
of ancient India. Surely, ancient commentators knew Panini better than most mod- 
ern scholars, yet they did not feel the need to correct forms and expressions that 
some philologists have characterized as “grammatical monstrosities.” Let me cite a 
few examples. Hertel (1924) changes the “ungrammatical” kdmabhih of MuU 3.2 to 
karmabhih, but Salomon (1981, 94) sees it as a nonstandard form found also in 
Buddhist Sanskrit. Likewise, Hauschild (1927) changes the “ungrammatical” ceta 
of SU 6.11 to cetta, but the traditional reading permitted Rau (1964) to see it as an 
agent noun derived not from Vcif but from 3 lei (“to punish”) and to translate it as 
“avenger.” And it was the “wrong” pronoun, the neuter tat rather than the masculine 
sah, that enabled Brereton (1986) to produce his brilliant reinterpretation of the fa- 
mous “great saying” tat tvam asi. 

These observations, I believe, justify a return to the traditionally transmitted 
text until truly critical editions of these documents become available. An editor’s 
conjectures and insights cannot be substitutes for the received text, and they should 
not mediate between the reader and the text. Lest I be misunderstood, I am not sug- 
gesting that scholars should not seek to uncover the layers beneath the surface of the 
text. Indeed, much light has been thrown on these texts through the philological 
labors of scholars. I object only to conjectural philological emendations being in- 
corporated into the edited texts of these documents. Scholarly insights and philo- 
logical acumen are important for the understanding of these difficult documents, but 
they constitute “higher criticism” and are best relegated to notes or incorporated 
into translations and studies. 


5. Among the many inaccuracies in the LV, some BU(M) variants noted in LV (e.g., BU 4.5.4) are 
not found in either Weber or in Bohtlingk 1889a. There are, on the other hand, many BU(M) variants that 
are not recorded in LV, e.g., BU 4.4.23-25; 5.5.1. 

6. Other such suspicious variants are CU 4.9.3 prapayatiti, CU 8.6.5 urdhva akramate , both proba- 
bly taken from Bohtlingk’s (1889b) conjectures. 


xvii 



Note on the Edition 


I have given in the notes all the major recensional and manuscript variants that 
I could cull from the existing editions, as well as the emendations, conjectures, and 
suggestions offered by previous scholars. 7 Given the enormity of this task, I do not 
claim that I have provided an exhaustive list of all such variants and emendations. 
But collecting at least the majority of them in one place, I believe, will be of some 
use to scholars and further Upanisadic scholarship. As Alsdorf (1950, 622) has said, 
“Too often emendations made by one editor or translator go unnoticed by his suc- 
cessors), so that the mere collection of all successful emendations made so far 
would be no useless task.” Variants recorded by an editor are noted as “vr in.” 
These variants may be from manuscripts or, as is most often the case, from other 
editions. It would have been preferable, as a reviewer has suggested, to identify the 
sources of all the variants given by different editors, but the sheer volume of those 
sources made that impractical. A reviewer also suggested that I explain the reasons 
for the emendations offered by editors or give their own explanations for the emen- 
dations. Given the vast number of such emendations, however, adding explanations 
to each would have made this volume unacceptably long for my publisher. So, un- 
fortunately, readers who wish to pursue seriously the study of the variants and 
emendations recorded here will have to consult the editions and studies in which 
they originally occur. Since Bohtlingk (1889a) is based on BU(M), I have noted 
Bohtlingk’s variant readings only when they depart from the BU(M) readings as 
constituted by Weber. 

I have departed from the traditional text in a few instances. In verses I have 
eliminated external vowel sandhi when it restored the meter; this is nonintrusive and 
does little damage to the text. Those of us who work with manuscripts know how 
inconsistent they are in noting external sandhi. I have, however, resisted reproduc- 
ing in the printed text pronunciations of words required by the meter, for example, 
the pronunciation of semivowels as vowels (e.g., diauh for dyauh , ductu for dvau)\ 
they appear strange to the eye, and even in Sanskrit it is counterproductive to at- 
tempt to duplicate in the written form all the subtleties of oral speech. 

My most serious emendation of the traditional text is in the KsU. This 
Upanisad has been transmitted badly, probably because it lacked an old commen- 
tary. The rearrangement of KsU 1.3-4 by Frenz (1968-69), I think, restores a sem- 
blance of order into the narrative, and I have followed his rearrangement in my edi- 
tion. Frenz also rearranges KsU 2.8-10, but his reasons for that are not as compel- 
ling. Frenz has put together two passages that deal with a rite to prevent the prema- 
ture death of one’s children (KsU 8a and 8b in Frenz). But the traditional sequence 
has its own logic: KsU 8 = rite on the new-moon day; KsU 9 = rite on the full-moon 
day; KsU 10 = rite before sexual intercourse; KsU 11= rite when one returns from a 
journey. 

7. An exception is the minute emendations, especially of sandhi and of frequent words like sotnya 
(changed to saumya), of Bohtlingk. They are tiresome and insignificant. I have also ignored the variants 
in Little 1900 because he follows the text of Bohtlingk 1889b. I have not included obvious scribal or 
printing errors, but here 1 have erred on the side of inclusion, because one cannot always be certain 
whether a reading is an error and because sometimes even scribal errors can be helpful in determining the 
proper reading. 


xviii 



Note on the Edition 


The final issue relates to punctuation and the manner in which the Sanskrit text 
is reproduced on the printed page. This is where the hand and the mind of the editor 
intrude most sharply. Given the printed medium, an editor has to make choices; the 
alternative is to reproduce the manuscript format, which does not even divide 
words! It is an alternative few editors will follow. Manuscripts are notorious for 
their inconsistency of punctuation. I have inserted the danda punctuations in the 
most obvious places, taking into account both the meaning of the text and past edi- 
torial practices. Readers, however, should not take these punctuations too seriously 
in analyzing these texts. Having the Sanskrit text and the English translation on 
facing pages has its obvious advantages; it also creates serious difficulties because 
of the varying lengths of the text and the translation. I have had to divide the San- 
skrit text into paragraphs with large spaces between them in order to accommodate 
the English. The paragraph divisions sometimes follow the traditional khanda divi- 
sion and sometimes the paragraph divisions I have made in the translation. Here, 
too, readers of the Sanskrit text should not pay too much heed to these divisions, 
knowing that the manuscripts themselves write the text in continuous and unbroken 
lines. 



Note on the Translation 


Texts, especially ancient texts— whether they are the Upanisads or the Bible — 
composed in a different language, at a different time, and by people with social and 
cultural backgrounds and levels of scientific knowledge far different from our own, 
pose many and diverse problems of understanding and interpretation to their readers 
and, especially, to their translators. 

A comparison with the methods we use to understand another type of data from 
ancient societies — archaeological discoveries — is instructive. Archaeological find- 
ings are only clues, and, just like clues in an investigation of a crime, archaeological 
clues require the interpretive efforts of the investigator, who alone can unravel the 
story behind the clues. A long process of interpretation, thus, precedes an adequate 
understanding, a process informed by our knowledge obtained from other sources 
regarding the culture and society of the people in question and by analogies with 
comparable cultures. A similar process of interpretation is also required for an ade- 
quate understanding of textual data and must precede any translation. Whether a 
translator is aware of this or not, a translation is always an interpretation. 

In an important way, however, texts are different from archaeological data. Un- 
like archaeological remains, a text is a living reality; it is its very use and transmis- 
sion by generations of readers, interpreters, and copyists that have preserved it for 
our examination. The interpretive history of a text is especially rich when it happens 
to be a sacred text, a text that is perceived by a community or a group of communi- 
ties as religiously authoritative. Such, indeed, is the group of texts called “Upani- 
sad” translated here. 

Unlike archaeological data, therefore, texts, especially sacred texts, come to us 
already interpreted. Dealing now specifically with the Upanisads, their interpretive 
history consists both of formal commentaries and further commentaries on earlier 
commentaries, and of interpretations implicit in their use as scriptural texts within 
theological discourses and sectarian debates. 

How, then, does a translator’s interpretation relate to this history of interpreta- 
tion? The problem is further complicated by the fact that there is no one native in- 
terpretation of the Upanisads; across time and sectarian divides, we have a multi- 
plicity of interpretations. If a translation has a theological purpose — if it is produced 
within a specific sectarian or theological context — a translator may choose one of 
these interpretations over the others. I have chosen not to do so, even though, like 


XX 



Note on the Translation 


most translators, I have benefited by the insights of commentators. I want in my 
translation and notes to approximate, as far as our current knowledge permits, the 
understanding of these documents that their authors had and the meaning they de- 
sired to communicate to their contemporary audience. 

Like any other historical work, mine is a reconstruction of the past. In this re- 
construction, I want to distinguish the interpretive history of the documents, often 
separated from their composition by a millennium or more, from their original con 
text. Even though there are significant differences in purpose and content between- 
them, one may, nevertheless, profitably compare the Upanisads to the Constitu- 
tionof the United States of America, which also has had an official, and often con- 
tradictory, history of interpretation by the Supreme Court. If I am translating the 
Constitution into Sanskrit, what interpretation should I follow? I would follow none 
of those interpretations and attempt to reconstruct for the Sanskrit reader the cultural 
and social context within which the Constitution was drafted. My translation would 
attempt to present the Constitution to the Sanskrit reader as a window into the world 
of America in the late eighteenth century, and not as a living document still guiding 
the destinies of the American people. 

Both the Constitution and the Upanisads are living documents and play signifi- 
cant roles in the communities within which they are perceived as authoritative. Acts 
of interpretation of these documents are legitimate activities for lawyers and theolo- 
gians of the respective communities, and the study of those interpretive histories is 
an important and legitimate part of historical scholarship; but these are not, I be- 
lieve, the aim of a translation. My translation is not intended to be a vehicle for 
propagating religious truths (although, for some, it may perform this function) but 
for illuminating the distant past of India. 

This translation was first published in the Oxford University Press series 
World’s Classics. For reasons spelled out in the Preface, I have not changed it sub- 
stantially here, except for correcting a few errors and emending the translation of 
some passages. The major emendations are listed at the end of this note. This trans- 
lation was not intended primarily for philologists but for ordinary readers who have 
little or no access to the original Sanskrit. I have not employed, therefore, the com- 
mon defensive strategies of philological translations, such as placing within paren- 
theses any English word added to draw out the sense of the Sanskrit. I expect my 
translation to be accurate without being literal, to be readable on its own without 
reference to the Sanskrit. I have used idiomatic and informal English, especially in 
translating dialogues and conversations, but avoided vulgarisms, keeping in mind 
that these are viewed by many as sacred writings. Although originally intended for a 
different audience, I hope this translation will be of use also to the more specialized 
and sophisticated readership of this edition in untangling the complex meanings of 
these documents. 

One notable feature of Sanskrit is its frequent use of pronouns without clear 
antecedents; often the antecedent is not the noun that immediately precedes a pro- 
noun. I have regularly repeated the noun when the use of an English pronoun would 
be confusing. In dialogues deictic pronouns — that is, pronouns used in conversa- 
tions while pointing to something — are used frequently; in translating such oral 


XXI 



Note on the Translation 


usages into written prose I have often appended the item pointed to, for example, 
“this right eye.” The use of these pronouns highlights not only the oral nature of the 
original dialogues but also the continuing oral transmission of the Upanisads. 

Phonetic connections between words abound in these documents and play a 
significant role in Upanisadic thought. It is an impossible task to reproduce them in 
English. I have attempted to alert the reader to the connections hinted at by placing 
the Sanskrit terms within parentheses. 

Three terms that cause special difficulty for the translator are prana, atman, and 
brahman; they have multiple meanings, but in the original Sanskrit the identity of 
the term recalls to the reader all the related meanings even when only one is primary 
within a given context. To alert the English reader to these connections, I have again 
placed the Sanskrit term within parentheses. 

For the benefit of Sanskrit scholars who will be the primary readers of this edi- 
tion, I note here some of the translation choices I have made. The Upanisads contain 
numerous nominal sentences in which two nouns in the nominative stand in apposi- 
tion; these have been studied exhaustively by Gren-Eklund (1978). In translating 
these I have taken the first noun to be predicative (what Gren-Eklund calls the 
“comment”) of the second (Gren-Eklund’s “topic”). Thus vag vai brahma (BU 
4.1.2) I translate as “ Brahman is speech.” Likewise, when two accusatives stand in 
apposition as objects of the same verb, I have taken the second to be the direct and 
the first to be the indirect object. Thus, at ha ha vacant udgitham upasdm cakrire 
(CU 1 .2.3) I translate as “Then they venerated the High Chant as speech.” In trans- 
lating the particles kila and khalu, I generally follow the insightful comments of 
Emeneau (1968-69) and Daalen (1988). And in translating iva I have followed Bre- 
reton (1982); it indicates a clear affirmation, but in a general and undefined way, 
rather than an expression of a doubt or an attempt to hedge (“as it were”). 

Major Changes from the translation in World’s Classics: 

BU 1.4.17; 2.4.10; 3.7.1; 4.5.11; 6.2.8; CU 3.11.3; 5.1.2; 5.2.2; 5.3.2; 

5.3.7; 5.4.2; 5.5.2; 7.8.1; 8.1.3; 8.4.2; TU 2.1, 3, 4, 5; 3.1; 3.10.4; AU 2.1, 

3; KsU 1.4b; 2.14; KaU 2.10-11; SU 2.2; 4.5; MuU 1.2.3; 2.2.2, 6, 11; 

3.2.2, 4. 


xxii 



THE EARLY UPANISADS 



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Introduction 


The Upanisads translated here represent some of the most important literary prod- 
ucts in the history of Indian culture and religion, both because they played a critical 
role in the development of religious ideas in India and because they are valuable as 
sources for our understanding of the religious, social, and intellectual history of an- 
cient India. The Upanisads were composed at a time of great social, economic, and 
religious change; they document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the 
Veda into new religious ideas and institutions. It is in them that we note for the first 
time the emergence of central religious concepts of both Hinduism and of the new 
religious movements, such as Buddhism and Jainism, that emerged not long after 
the composition of the early Upanisads. Such concepts include the doctrine of re- 
birth, the law of karma that regulates the rebirth process, and the techniques of lib- 
eration from the cycle of rebirth, such as mental training associated with Yoga, 
ascetic self-denial and mortification, and the renunciation of sex, wealth, and family 
life. Even though theoretically the whole of the vedic corpus is accepted as revealed 
truth, in reality it is the Upanisads that have continued to influence the life and 
thought of the various religious traditions that we have come to call Hindu. 
Upanisads are the scriptures par excellence of Hinduism. 

In translating and interpreting these ancient documents, I have drawn on the 
most current philological, historical, and anthropological research available to me, 
research that provides glimpses into the social and intellectual world of the ancient 
Upanisads. Some of that research is presented in the notes, and my debt to previous 
scholarship is thereby acknowledged. Much of it is implicit in the translation itself. 
In this introduction, I want to supplement and to organize the information scattered 
in the notes — information that will give the reader the social, religious, and cultural 
background of these documents, information without which much of what is said in 
them cannot be understood. Given the constraints imposed by the very nature of an 
introduction and the limits of space prescribed by the format of this series, it is im- 
possible to explore fully that background. I have deliberately aimed these introduc- 
tory remarks at nonspecialist readers, knowing that the specialists can fend for 
themselves. My hope is that the information given here, although inadequate, will 
provide a sufficient background to appreciate these documents within their histori- 
cal contexts. My task is complicated by the fact that the Upanisads translated here 
were composed over a period of about six centuries, a period which saw many and 
far-reaching social, economic, and religious changes. My emphasis will be on the 
early period, which produced some of the major Upanisads, including the 


3 



The Early Upanisads 


Brhadaranyaka and the Chandogya, although l will deal with some of the doctrines 
of the Samkhya and Yoga traditions and with the monotheistic and devotional ten- 
dencies that underlie several later Upanisads. 

In this introduction I have avoided speaking of “the philosophy of the 
Upanisads,” a common feature of most introductions to their translations. 1 These 
documents were composed over several centuries and in various regions, and it is 
futile to try to discover a single doctrine or philosophy in them. Different theologi- 
ans, philosophers, and pious readers down the centuries both in India and abroad 
have discovered different “truths” and “philosophies” in them. That has been, after 
all, the common fate of scriptures in all religions. Even in the future, that is an en- 
terprise best left to the readers themselves, and the prudent translator will try to step 
aside and not get in their way. 

The Social Background of the Upanisads 

Modem scholarship has unveiled to some degree the distant and long-forgotten past 
of northern India. Prior to the middle of the second millennium BCE, this region was 
probably populated by numerous groups of diverse ethnic and linguistic back- 
grounds. About most of them we know very little. About one group, however, we 
have a wealth of information unearthed by archaeologists early in the twentieth 
century. This group of people built an urban civilization along the Indus River 
(hence the name Indus Valley Civilization); it lasted from around 2300 until the 
middle of the second millennium BCE and centered on the two major cities of 
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. 2 This urban civilization died without exerting any no- 
ticeable influence on the civilizations that followed. 

At about the time when the Indus Valley Civilization became extinct, according 
to the commonly accepted theory, there took place a relatively large migration of 
people from the west into the upper Indus Valley. 3 They were a pastoral but mili- 
tarily powerful people who called themselves arya (literally, ‘noble’ or ‘honorable’; 
whence the word Aryan). Modern linguistic studies have demonstrated that the lan- 
guage of these people, the language in which the ancient vedic literature including 
the Upanisads was written and which later came to be known as Sanskrit, belongs to 


1 . For an eminently readable yet accurate, unbiased, and brief presentation of the main doctrinal 
themes of the Upanisads, I refer the reader to Brereton 1990. 

2. For information about this civilization see B. and F. R. Allchin, The Rise of Civilisation in India 
and Pakistan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982); Gregory L. Possehl (ed.). Ancient Cities 
of the Indus (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 1979); Gregory L. Possehl (ed.), Harappan Civili- 
zation: A Contemporary Perspective (Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1982). 

3. The Aryan migration theory has been challenged recently by several archaeologists: see Colin 
Renfrew, Archaeology and Language: The Puzzle of Indo-European Origins (London: Jonathan Cape, 
1987). Even though the migration theory possibly needs revisions and the Aryan migrations may have 
occurred at different times and at a much earlier period, I think the preponderance of evidence still sup- 
ports the view that there was an Aryan migration into India in the second millennium bcf. and that the 
language of the Veda reflects the language of those Aryans. For the most recent study of this question by 
leading archeologists and textual scholars, see The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia, ed. G. Erdosy 
(Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1995). 


4 



Introduction 


a family of languages (generally referred to as Indo-European) that includes Greek, 
Latin, and most of the modem European and northern Indian languages, as well as 
the ancient and modern languages of Iran. This distribution of languages suggests 
that a related group of nomadic pastoral people migrated across Europe and toward 
the east, settling first in Iran and finally in northern India. 

The Aryans who came into India first settled the fertile land of the upper Indus 
tributaries (the area of present-day Punjab) but soon migrated farther east into the 
Ganges Valley. Although the material culture of the Aryans was much inferior to 
that of the Indus Valley Civilization — urban culture, for example, would not rise 
again for another thousand years — they left behind a vast corpus of literature, the 
Vedas, and for this reason the Aryan civilization from the time of the composition 
of the earliest Rgvedic hymns, probably in the last few centuries of the second mil- 
lennium bce, until about the fifth century bce is known as the Vedic Civilization. 4 

The Aryans dominated the native populations across much of northern India. 
Their military prowess may have had many causes, but the horse and the horse- 
drawn chariots that they possessed must have been an important factor. The horse 
remained a central symbol of royal power in ancient India, and the horse-sacrifice 
that figures so prominently in the opening chapter of the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 
became the primary ritual expression of that power. But their domination was not 
necessarily numerical. “The evidence of widespread settlement in the Ganga Valley 
by the late 2nd millennium B.C.,” Erdosy (1988, 101) points out, “would suggest, 
that numerically the native population would have been overwhelmingly dominant.” 
It is this blend of indigenous and Aryan peoples that constituted vedic society. 

The subjugated non-Aryans appear to have been by and large relegated to the 
lower class of an emerging quadripartite social structure: (1) the elite ruling cum 
military class generally referred to as Ksatriya; (2) the hereditary priestly class of 
Brahmins; (3) the large group of peasants and artisans known as Vaisya; and finally 
(4) the Sudra group, which included a motley array of people, including subjugated 
non-Aryans, servants, and slaves. These four social groups were called varna (lit., 
‘color’), the first three consisting at least in theory of Aryans. 

These groups were not as watertight as the later caste divisions of Indian soci- 
ety, and there appears to have been some mobility across the groups. The varna 
division of society, however, has remained from the vedic period until modem times 
the primary theological and theoretical conception of society in India, 5 and it under- 
lies much of the discussion in the Upanisads. By the time of the latest hymns of the 
Rgveda, probably the early centuries of the first millennium BCE, the varna division 
of society had become theologically so central that a creation hymn (RV 10.90) de- 
picts the emergence of the four classes from the mouth (Brahmin), arms (Ksatriya), 
loins (Vaisya), and feet (Sudra) of a primeval man (purusa ), whose sacrifice and 
dismemberment created the universe. 


4. The best and the most accurate description of vedic society drawn from literary sources is Rau 
1957. Witzel (1987, 1997b, 1997c) has provided the first ever social history of the vedic texts. Accessi- 
ble, though somewhat dated, studies on vedic religion and mythology are: Macdonell 1898; Keith 1925. 

5. For a discussion of the varna ideology and its use as a classificatory principle, see Smith 1994. 


5 



The Early Upanisads 


How much influence the non-Aryan religious and cultural traditions may have 
exerted on the dominant vedic culture has been a matter of much debate and contro- 
versy. That there must have been some influence is unquestionable, but to identify 
specific non-Aryan elements of vedic culture is, I believe, a nearly impossible and 
an altogether futile enterprise. 6 As Erdosy (1988, 101) has argued, the very durabil- 
ity of the social order that the Aryan migrants created indicates that the Aryans may 
have utilized and exploited the social divisions of the non-Aryan groups themselves. 
It is likely that the elites of these groups were co-opted into the Ksatriya ruling class 
and that the Brahmin priestly class incorporated both Aryan and non-Aryan ritual 
specialists. The Aryans themselves soon lost any collective memory they may have 
had of having migrated from the west; none of the early vedic texts preserves any 
such memory. 

The influence of the native peoples was probably most marked in the economic 
area. The Aryans, who had been nomadic cattle herders, adopted much of the eco- 
nomic system of the natives; the economy of the vedic society along the Ganges 
Valley during circa 1000-600 BCE was by and large an agricultural one, although 
animal husbandry, especially cattle, continued to play an important role, and cows 
were the symbol of wealth. Rice, a native cereal of the Ganges region, became their 
staple food. There is also evidence of crafts, especially pottery, textile, and metal 
work. The vedic texts themselves attest to the existence of trade and traders. 7 The 
economy, however, was primarily agricultural and was based on villages; vedic so- 
ciety remained primarily village-based until about the sixth century BCE. 

Beyond the villages and their internal organization, there were broader political 
units run by chieftains who ruled over many villages. “Already in the 1 0th— 7 1 h 
centuries B.C.,” Erdosy (1988, 55) claims, “we can see the presence of a two-tier 
hierarchy of settlements, and suggest that the largest centre existed to control the 
movement and processing of raw materials, exploiting its position at the boundary 
of two zones with distinct resources.” These chiefdoms were probably the largest 
political units during this period, controlling crafts and commerce, collecting taxes 
and tributes, and exercising military and judicial powers. 

By the late vedic period these units had been sufficiently consolidated so that 
we can speak of the emergence of kingdoms and a monarchical form of government 
along the Ganges. By about the sixth century BCE — that is. during the period of the 
first Upanisads — many relatively large kingdoms had been created. Kings and roy- 
alty, as the Upanisadic evidence itself indicates, began to play an increasing role 
both in the political economy of northern India and in the area of religious thinking 
and institutions. 

A major issue regarding late vedic society is urbanization. After the demise of 
the urban civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, northern Indian society was 
essentially village-based. The available archaeological and literary data indicate the 
rise of cities along the Ganges Valley between the sixth and fourth centuries bce. 8 

6. For a discussion of this issue, see Olivelle 1993, 68-69. 

7. See Rau 1957, 28. 

8. The most recent and very readable study of the archaeological evidence for the emergence of 
cities and states in the Ganges Valley in the sixth to fourth centuries DCli is Erdosy 1988. 


6 



Introduction 


The cities functioned as administrative, commercial, and military centers of the 
kingdoms. “If the previous period’s findings indicated a chief dom,” writes Erdosy 
(1988, 116), “here we may justifiably argue for the first emergence of a state level 
of political organization.” These relatively large realms facilitated commerce and 
travel, permitting not only the distribution of goods but also the dissemination of 
religious ideas and institutions. 

It is, however, uncertain whether the urbanization of the Ganges Valley oc- 
curred before or after the composition of the early prose Upanisads and what influ- 
ence, if any, it had on the development of Upanisadic thought. The society and 
culture reflected in these documents, nevertheless, are far different from those of the 
early vedic period. At least some of the new ideas and institutions, especially asceti- 
cism and celibacy, 9 1 believe, reflect, if not an urban environment, then at least one 
that is in the process of urbanization. The vast geography known to the Upanisads 
indicates the relative ease of travel and commerce across much of northern India. 
They refer to the Gandhara region of the northwest and the Videha region of the 
southeast, two regions separated by over 1,600 kilometers. People traveled long 
distances not only to trade but also to acquire knowledge (BU 3.3.1). It is also inter- 
esting in this context to note that there are very few agricultural metaphors and im- 
ages in the Upanisads, while examples derived from crafts such as weaving, pottery, 
and metallurgy are numerous. These crafts, of course, could appear in village life, 
but the dominance of craft metaphors at least suggests a milieu somewhat removed 
from the agricultural routine of villages. A close reading of these texts suggests to 
me that, by and large, their social background consists of court and crafts, rather 
than village and agriculture. The later verse Upanisads were certainly composed 
after the rise of urbanization and possibly even after the creation of the Maurya em- 
pire in the late fourth century BCE. 

The Literary History of the Upanisads 

The Upanisads, on the one hand, are portions of a large body of sacred texts collec- 
tively known as the Veda and are thus an integral part of the fundamental scriptures 
of most people we have come to call “Hindif ; it is in this manner that the Upanisads 
have been transmitted through the centuries, and we should, therefore, consider their 
position within the broader vedic corpus. They are, on the other hand, documents 
composed and edited by individuals at given moments in history and in specific 
geographical locations; we, therefore, need to look at the history of their composi- 
tion. 

The Upanisads within the Vedic Corpus 

In the brief introductions to individual Upanisads, I identify each as belonging to a 
particular branch of the Veda. The literature of the Veda was produced by and 


9. For a summary of how this new urbanization may have affected religious ideas and institutions, 
see Olivelle 1993, 55-58. 


7 



The Early Upanisads 


largely intended for Brahmins. Different families of Brahmins became specialists in 
different aspects of the many and complicated sacrifices that dominated their lives 
and thought. These specialized family traditions developed into the vedic 
“branches” ( sakha , sometimes also translated as “school”) within which specialized 
ritual texts were produced and transmitted. The literary structure of the vedic cor- 
pus, therefore, mirrors the division of the priestly community into branches special- 
izing in different aspects of the complex sacrificial ritual. 10 

The Veda is broadly divided into three sections: Rgveda, Samaveda, and Ya- 
jurveda, but in time a fourth, the Atharvaveda, came to be added to these three. 11 
The first identity of a Brahmin is determined by his affiliation to one of these vedic 
traditions; I will explain below the different priestly functions associated with each. 
Further “branching” of the vedic traditions took place as a result of numerous fac- 
tors, including geographical location, ritual specialization, and doctrinal and ritual 
disputes. 

Each of these vedic branches has as its foundational text a “collection” 
(Samhita) of verses or liturgical formulas 12 and a prose text (Brahmana) explaining 
the meaning of the liturgy (see Fig. 1). The Samhita of each Veda is by and large 
common to all its branches, even though some may have their own recension of it, 
while each branch has its own Brahmana. The Brahmanas were not the work of sin- 
gle authors, and periodic additions were made to them. These additions included 
esoteric material explaining the hidden meanings of ritual actions and words. Some 
of these esoteric sections of the Brahmanas came to be called Aranyakas (texts that 
were to be recited in the wilderness outside the village), while others came to be 
called Upanisads. The distinction between these two groups of texts is not altogether 
clear, since both deal with similar material; some of the Upanisads, such as the Ai- 
tareya, are embedded within their respective Aranyakas, while others, such as the 
Brhadaranyaka (lit. ‘Great Aranyaka’), are viewed as both Aranyaka and Upanisad. 
Cosmological and metaphysical topics generally occupy a more central position in 
the Upanisads, however, than in the Aranyakas, and the Upanisads are, by and large, 
later than the Aranyakas. Figure 1 illustrates the position of the early Upanisads 
within the framework of the vedic corpus. 

The vedic texts, including the Upanisads, were composed and at first transmit- 
ted from generation to generation orally and within their respective vedic branches. 
The reader will observe, and I have frequently pointed out in the notes, the many 
instances where the oral nature of the Upanisads is manifest, as when the author 
uses deictic pronouns ‘this’ and ‘this’ to refer to his two eyes, or ‘this (here)’ and 
‘that (over there)’ to refer to the earth (or something on earth) and the sun. The 

10. For a survey of this literature, see M. Wintemitz, A History of Indian Literature, tr. S. Ketkar, 
Vol. 1 (New Delhi: Oriental Books Reprint Corp., 1972); J. Gonda, Vedic Literature (Wiesbaden: Har- 
rassowitz, 1975). For the social history of these texts, see Witzel 1987, 1989, 1997b, 1997c. 

11. The Atharvaveda is not directly connected with the vedic liturgical tradition and incorporates 
beliefs and rituals from traditions of healing and magic. Upanisads ascribed to the Atharvaveda are 
generally late and were probably composed as independent documents outside the vedic branches. 

12. The Samhita of the Rgveda is in verse and contains 1,028 hymns divided into ten books; the 
Samhita of the Samaveda consists mostly of Rgvedic verses set to music; and the Samhita of the Yajur- 
veda is in prose and contains formulas that are recited during a sacrifice. 


8 



RGVEDA 


YAJURVEDA 


SAMAVEDA 

ATHARVAVEDA 


Black (Krsna) 

White (Sukla) 



Rgveda Samhita 

Taittiriya Samhita 

Kathaka Samhita 

Vajasaneyi Samhita 

Samaveda Samhita 

Atharvaveda Samhita 
(Saunaka) 

Aitareya Brahmana 
Kausitaki/SSnkhayana 
Brahmana 

Taittiriya Brahmana 


Satapatha Brahmana 

Talavakara (Jaiminlya) Brahmana 

Gopatha Brahmana 
Chandogya Brahmana 

Aitareya Aranyaka 
Sankhanaya Aranyaka 

Taittiriya Aranyaka 





Aitareya Upanisad 
Kausitaki Upanisad 

Taittiriya Upanisad 
Svetasvatara Up. 

Katha Upanisad 

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 
Isa Upanisad 

Chandogya Upanisad 
Jaiminiya-Upanisad-Brahmana 
Kena Upanisad 

Mundaka Upanisad 
Prasna Upanisad 
Mandukya Upanisad 


NB This chart is not comprehensive, and there are other vedic branches and texts, which are not included because they do not have extant Upanisads. 
The chart is intended only to indicate the position within the broader vedic corpus of the Upanisads translated or referred to in this book. 


Fig. 1. The Upanisads within the Vedic Corpus 




The Early Upanisads 


writing down of these documents did not take place for perhaps a thousand years, 
but the transmission was, nonetheless, very faithful — more accurate, I might add, 
than most manuscript traditions — and the priestly tradition developed many, often 
artificial, devices to ensure a faithful transmission. 

Toward the last centuries BCE and certainly by the first centuries of the common 
era, the role of the sacrifice within religion and of the vedic branches within 
Brahmanical learning became less significant. Specialized traditions of learning 
(sastra) came into existence, first Sanskrit grammar and then others such as relig- 
ious law (Dharmasastra), political science (Arthasastra), and medicine, traditions 
that cut across vedic branches. Even within ritual and religious practice, Brahmani- 
cal thought came to consider the literature of all vedic branches — that is, the totality 
of the Veda — as authoritative over individuals in every vedic branch. The Upa- 
nisads themselves became somewhat detached from their respective vedic branches 
and became the common property of all Brahmins under the generic title “Vedanta,” 
meaning the end or conclusion and, in an extended sense, the essence of the Veda. 

An early effort, probably within the first five hundred years of the common era, 
to make a systematic presentation of Vedantic doctrines is the Vedantasiitra (or 
Brahmasiitra) ascribed to Badarayana. 13 The Upanisads came to be considered the 
section of the Veda containing salvific knowledge (jhdnakanda ), whereas the other 
sections contained information about rites ( karmakanda ). As the revealed source of 
knowledge, therefore, the Upanisads became the basic scriptural authority for most 
later Indian theological traditions. 

Given the importance of these basic texts, numerous documents, often espous- 
ing sectarian viewpoints, were composed with the title “Upanisad,” and, at least 
among some segments of the population, they enjoyed the authority and sanctity 
attached to the Vedas; most of these late texts are ascribed to the Atharvaveda. Such 
Upanisads continued to be produced possibly as late as the sixteenth century CE and 
number in the hundreds. In the first half of the second millennium CE, furthermore, 
the early Upanisads were detached from the Brahmanas of which they were a part 
and, together with these later Upanisads, gathered into collections; the number of 
Upanisads included in these collections varied according to the region, 52 being a 
common number in the north and 108 in the south. 14 

The Composition of the Upanisads 

The second issue relating to the literary history of the Upanisads concerns their 
composition. Who were their authors? When and where were they composed? 15 

13. See The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana with the Commentary by Sankara. Tr. by G. Thibaut (2 
parts; SBE 34, 38; Oxford: 1890-96; repr. New York: Dover Publications, 1962). 

14. For an account of these collections, the translation of fifty into Persian (Oupnikhat) in 1656, and 
the European encounter with these collections, see Deussen 1966, 33-38. For a study on the date of the 
late Upanisads and Upanisadic collections, see Sprockhoff 1976, 9-26, 277-95. 

1 5. These are, of course, historical questions. Theologically, the Brahmanical tradition considers 
the Vedas as revelation. The mainstream view is that they are without human or divine authors; they are 
self-existent knowledge (veda literally means ‘knowledge’) ‘heard’ by ancient seers (hence sruti or 
‘hearing’ is anolher term for Veda). Others consider the Vedas to have been revealed by God. 


10 



Introduction 


These are difficult questions to answer, because the Upanisads have come down to 
us as anonymous documents and, apart from evidence internal to the texts them- 
selves, no external evidence exists regarding their authorship or dates. 

Authorship: The issue of authorship is complicated by the fact that some of the 
earliest and largest Upanisads — at least the Brhadaranyaka, the Chandogya, and the 
Kausltaki — are anthologies of material that must have existed as independent texts 
before their incorporation into these Upanisads by an editor or a series of editors. 
Several such source texts are included in more than one Upanisad, leading us to be- 
lieve that the editors at least partly drew upon a common stock of episodes and 
teachings. 16 

Some of this source material consists of dialogues, debates, and formal teach- 
ings by famous teachers of the time, who are identified. Prominent among these are 
Yajnavalkya (in the BU), Uddalaka Aruni (in the CU), Janaka, Pravahana Jaivali, 
Ajatasatru, Sandilya, and Satyakama Jabala. 17 Many of these are, of course, Brah- 
mins, who were not only priests but also the theologians and teachers within the 
social hierarchy of the time. It is, therefore, surprising that several prominent teach- 
ers of Upanisadic doctrines are presented as kings, or at least as belonging to the 
Ksatriya class. The Ksatriya contribution to Upanisadic thought has been an issue 
long debated among scholars. Many have gone so far as to claim that the creative 
and new elements of Upanisadic doctrines were the creation of Ksatriyas. 18 

The Upanisads themselves appear to lend support to such a view. They record 
numerous episodes where a Brahmin or a group of Brahmins who claim to be 
learned are worsted in debate by a Ksatriya, who then goes on to teach a new doc- 
trine to them. King Pravahana Jaivali, for example, claims that the famous doctrine 
of the five fires “had never reached the Brahmins. As a result in all the worlds gov- 
ernment has belonged exclusively to royalty” (CU 5.3.7). Similar episodes are 
narrated with reference to kings Asvapati Kaikeya (CU 5.11-24), Ajatasatru (BU 
2.1), and others. 

The relationship between the priestly and royal classes in ancient India was 
complex. At one level it was symbiotic; the cooperation between these two groups, 
in whose hands power was concentrated, permitted both to thrive. At another level, 
the two groups were rivals for power and prestige. The entire Brahmanical ideology 
of society and the science and practice of ritual were designed, on the one hand, to 
enhance Ksatriya power and, on the other, to ensure the recognition by the Ksatriyas 
that the source of their power was the Brahmin. It is naive, therefore, to accept the 
literary evidence of the Upanisads regarding their Ksatriya authorship at face value 
and as historical fact. Surely, these documents were composed and transmitted by 

16. The episode relating to the disclosure of the doctrine of five fires is found in BU 6.2; CU 5.3- 
10; KsU 1.1-2; and elsewhere (see Bodewitz 1973, 110-23; Schmithausen 1994). Further, BU 6.1-3 
corresponds to CU 5.1-10. 

17. For a study of these thinkers, see Ruben 1947. 

18. See, e.g., Deussen 1966, 17-21; Horsch 1966, 427-41. Some scholars have explained the non- 
standard Sanskrit phrases occurring in some Upanisads as due to the influence of a hypothetical Ksatriya 
dialect of Sanskrit. 


11 



The F.arly Upanisads 


Brahmins. Why, then, did they deliberately include episodes that placed them at a 
disadvantage vis-a-vis the royal class? There must have been political, religious, 
economic, and even literary reasons for including or creating these episodes. We 
must bear in mind that the Brahmin community itself was not a monolithic entity. 
The most we can say is that some segments of the Brahmanical community must 
have perceived it as advantageous to present doctrines they favored as coming from 
the royal elite. 19 

This is not to deny, however, that the nobility surrounding the kings played a 
part in the intellectual and religious life of the time. Indeed, at a time not too distant 
from the early Upanisads, we have new religions such as Buddhism and Jainism 
rising in approximately the same geographic region of northern India, religions 
whose founders are considered to have come from the royal class. The doctrines of 
the devotional religions that became part of Brahmanism are also depicted as being 
taught by people belonging to that class, people such as Krsna and Rama, who are 
viewed as incarnations of god Visnu. What is important, however, is not whether a 
particular doctrine originated among the Ksatriyas, but that the new religious cli- 
mate in northern India, of which the Upanisads were a part, was created through the 
intellectual interaction among “new thinkers” within both groups. 

The early Upanisads also present at least two women, GargI Vacaknavl (BU 
3.6, 8) and Maitreyi, the wife of Yajnavalkya (BU 2.4; 4.5), as participating in 
theological disputes and discussions. The fact that these women are introduced 
without any attempt to justify or to explain how women could be engaged in theo- 
logical matters suggests the relatively high social and religious position of at least 
women of some social strata during this period. This is confirmed by a ritual for 
obtaining "a learned daughter" recorded in BU 6.4.17. 

Chronology: In spite of claims made by some, 20 in reality, any dating of these 
documents that attempts a precision closer than a few centuries is as stable as a 
house of cards. The scholarly consensus, well founded I think, is that the Brhad- 
aranyaka and the Chandogya are the two earliest Upanisads. We have seen, how- 
ever, that they are edited texts, some of whose sources are much older than others. 
The two texts as we have them are, in all likelihood, pre-Buddhist; placing them in 
the seventh to sixth centuries BCE may be reasonable, give or take a century or so. 21 
The three other early prose Upanisads — Taittirlya, Aitareya, and Kausitaki — come 


19. For a more extended discussion of this point, see Qlivelle 1993, 61-62. 

20. See, e.g., the precise dating of various Upanisadic thinkers by Ruben (1947): Sandilya, 670-640 
BCR; Uddalaka Aruni and Yajnavalkya, 640-610 bce; and Svetaketu, 610-580 bcb 

21. Much of the chronology of the Upanisads and of other ancient texts depends on the date of the 
Buddha’s death. The generally accepted date of around 486 BCE has been challenged recently. Bechert’s 
dating of 355-375 BCE (“The Date of the Buddha Reconsidered.” Indologica Taurinensia, 10 (1981): 29- 
36) has been supported by Erdosy using archaeological data (“The Archaeology of Early Buddhism,” in 
N. K. Wagle and F. Watanabe (eds.). Studies on Buddhism in Honour of Professor A. K. Warder 
(Toronto: University of Toronto Centre for South Asian Studies, 1993), 40-56. 11 the latter date is ac- 
cepted, which I favor, then the dates of the early Upanisads should be pushed forward a century or so (see 
Witzel 1989,241-51). 


12 



Introduction 


next; all are probably pre-Buddhist and can be assigned to the sixth to fifth centuries 
BCE. 

The Kena is the oldest of the verse Upanisads and contains many of the themes, 
such as the search for the one god who is both the creator and the agent of liberation 
for humans, that recur in the four subsequent verse Upanisads. Of these, the oldest is 
probably the Katha, followed by Isa, Svetasvatara, 22 and Mundaka. All exhibit 
strong theistic tendencies and are probably the earliest literary products of the theis- 
tic tradition, whose later literature includes the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas. All 
these Upanisads were composed probably in the last few centuries bce. Finally, we 
have the two late prose Upanisads, the Prasna and the Mandukya, which cannot be 
much older than the beginning of the common era. 

Geography: The final issue regarding the composition of the Upanisads relates to 
the geographical areas where these documents were composed. The land known to 
the authors of the Upanisads was broadly northern India ranging from the upper 
Indus Valley to the lower Ganges, and from the Himalayan foothills to the Vindhya 
mountain range. We can say with a great deal of confidence that they were all the 
product of the geographical center of ancient Brahmanism, comprising the regions 
of Kuru-Pancala and Kosala-Videha, together with the areas directly to the south 
and west of these (see Fig. 2). It is much more difficult, however, to determine the 
geographical location of individual Upanisads. Several scholars have recently at- 
tempted to localize vedic branches and texts using evidence internal to the texts 
themselves. Although the results are not conclusive, this research is significant and 
is evidence of a growing realization that in interpreting ancient texts philology 
needs to be supplemented by the knowledge of the geographical region and the so- 
cial context in which they were composed. I reproduce here some of the tentative 
conclusions of Witzel’s (1987, 1989, 1997c) important studies; the map (Fig. 2) 
shows both the important regions mentioned in the Upanisads and the areas in 
which some of the individual Upanisads may have been composed. In general, we 
find that the early texts of the vedic corpus were composed in the western and 
northwestern regions, whereas the center of literary activity in the later vedic period 
shifts further east, mostly to the Kuru-Pancala region; some were composed even 
further east in the region of Videha. 

In the case of the two oldest Upanisads, the BU and the CU, localization is 
complicated by the fact that they are compilations of preexisting documents. On the 
whole, however, the center of activity in the BU is the area of Videha, whose king, 
Janaka, plays a central role, together with Yajnavalkya, who appears almost as the 
personal theologian of the king. During the late vedic period the heartland of 
Brahmanism was the central region of Kuru-Pancala; the Kuru-Pancala Brahmins 
considered their land as the place where the best theological and literary activities 
were taking place. They must have viewed Videha as something of an unsophisti- 
cated frontier region. The entire setting of the third and fourth chapters of the BU 


22. Oberlies (1995, 68) estimates that it is impossible for the SU to have been composed long be- 
fore the first century BCE. 


13 







Introduction 


was probably intended to show how Yajnavalkya defeated all the best theologians 
of Kuru-Pancala (BU 3.9.19), thus demonstrating not only the preeminence of 
Yajnavalkya but also the rising importance of Videha as a center of learning. 

The evidence for localizing the CU is more meager, 23 but I think Witzel (1987, 
194 n. 74) is right in assigning “a more Western than an Eastern location,” probably 
somewhere in the western region of the Kuru-Pancala country. The great Kuru- 
Paficala theologian Uddalaka Aruni, 24 who is vilified in the BU, and Pravahana, the 
king of the Pancala region, play central roles in the CU. 

Turning to the other early prose Upanisads, Witzel places the Kausltaki/San- 
khayana branch of the Rgveda, to which the KsU belongs, in the western parts of 
the Kuru-Pancala country. There is little evidence internal to the KsU itself that 
would help its localization. In chapter 4, however, Ajatasatru, the king of Kasi, 
which is somewhat to the east of the central Kuru-Pancala region, plays a central 
role. The TU and the AU are more difficult to locate. Witzel places the early por- 
tions of the AB in the northwestern region around the Sutlej and the later portions, 
and hence possibly also the AU, further east in the Videha region. The early texts of 
the Taittiriya branch, such as the TS, were probably composed in the northwestern 
region of Kuru-Pancala. The picture is less clear in the case of the later texts, in- 
cluding the TU, although a region somewhat to the north of the central Kuru- 
Pancala appears reasonable. 

The later verse Upanisads are much more difficult to locate both because they 
hardly ever mention geographical locations and because they are less closely con- 
nected to the Brahmanas of the respective vedic branches. The KeU belongs to the 
Talavakara or Jaiminlya branch of the Samaveda. Although the early literature of 
the Jaiminlyas appears to have been composed in the Kuru-Pancala country, this 
vedic branch spread further south to the region where “the rivers run north”— that is, 
to what is today northern Madhya Pradesh and eastern Rajasthan. It was possibly in 
this region that the KeU was composed. 

The KaU belongs to the lost Kathaka Brahmana; without the latter it is impos- 
sible to determine the location of the former, which itself gives no geographical in- 
formation. Witzel places the early literature of the Kathaka branch in the eastern 
Punjab, near the River Beas, for it is here that, as the Kathaka Samhita states, the 
rivers flow westward. Whether this branch was still located in that region when the 
KaU, a somewhat late text, was composed is impossible to determine. 

The IU, which comprises chapter 40 of the Vajasaneyi Samhita of the White 
Yajurveda, likewise contains no geographical information. However, both branches 
of the White Yajurveda were located in the region of Kosala and Videha, even 


23. The hazard of internal evidence is demonstrated by a couple of examples relating to the CU. 
The reference to hail in the Kuru country (CU 1.10.1) and the reference to rivers flowing to the east and 
to the west (CU 6.10.1) may point to a geographical location in the northern Kuru region, where hail is 
common and the upper tributaries of the Ganges and the Indus flow toward the east and the west, respec- 
tively. But the meaning of the term for ‘hail’ is unclear; it probably means ‘locust.’ And even the BU 
(4.8.9), a clearly eastern text, knows of rivers flowing in both directions; this may have been a bit of 
geographical knowledge commonly available to people at this time, irrespective of where they lived. 

24. He is explicitly identified as a Kuru-Pancala Brahmin in the SB 11.4.1.1-2, where he is said to 
have traveled in the northern regions trying to draw the Brahmins of that frontier region into debate. 


15 



The Early Upanisads 


though their early literature may have been composed in a more western region. The 
IU is certainly later than the BU, and it is very likely that it, too, was composed in 
that region. Since they do not form parts of larger vedic texts, it is impossible to 
locate the SU, MuU, PU, and Mali. 


Vedic Rituals 

Even though the Upanisadic authors sometimes speak vehemently against the vedic 
ritual, these documents are so closely connected with it that it is impossible to un- 
derstand them without some knowledge of vedic ritual practice and vocabulary. Just 
like the Brahmanas, the Upanisads seek to explain the hidden meanings and con- 
nections of ritual actions and words. Their authors were masters of the ritual and 
assumed a similar knowledge in their listeners. 

By the time of the early Brahmanas, approximately the eighth century bce, the 
vedic ritual had developed into a highly complex and very expensive set of sacri- 
fices requiring the services of an array of ritual specialists. These sacrifices included 
some that followed the liturgical calendar, for example, the daily fire sacrifice 
( agnihotra ), the new- and full-moon sacrifices, the four-month sacrifices performed 
at the beginning of the three seasons (spring, rains, autumn), and the offering of first 
fruits at harvest time. Other sacrifices were offered for special reasons or on special 
occasions. Such are the two major sacrifices that occupy a central positionin 
upanisadic thought, the horse sacrifice and the Soma sacrifice, as well as the 
anointing of a new king and the building of a fire-altar. 

A sacrifice is offered by a man, a wealthy patron who in most cases must have 
been a Ksatriya . 25 He is designated the yajamana, a term generally translated as 
“sacrificer.” This translation is somewhat misleading because it is not the 
“sacrificer” but the priests hired by him who actually perform the sacrifice. The ya- 
janiana is the “patron of the sacrifice,” and it is on his behalf and for his benefit that 
the priests perform a sacrifice. Only a married man accompanied by his legitimate 
wife is eligible to become the patron of a sacrifice, indicating the centrality of mar- 
riage within the vedic ritual religion. The patron undergoes a sacrificial consecration 
called dlksa prior to a sacrifice; a man so consecrated is set apart from other people 
and has to follow a stringent regimen until he takes the bath that signals the com- 
pletion of the sacrifice. 

The priests, on the other hand, are always Brahmins who have specialized 
knowledge of some aspect of the sacrificial performance. As I have already indi- 
cated in describing the division of vedic texts, there are three major classes of 
priests. The Hotr is a priest of the Rgveda and is responsible for all recitations. The 
Adhvaryu is a priest of the Yajurveda and is responsible for all sacrificial actions, 
including the preparation of the sacrificial ground, building the fire pits, killing and 
butchering the sacrificial animal, cooking the sacrificial offerings, and actually 


25. Theoretically, however. Brahmanical law permits any married male belonging to one of the 
three twice-born classes, i.e. Brahmin, Ksatriya, and Vaisya, to perform a sacrifice. 


16 



NORTH 


EAST 





SOUTHERN 

FIRE 


□ Seat for 
Patron’s Wife 


WEST 


Fig. 3. The Sacrificial Arena 


SOUTH 



The Early Upanisads 


throwing the oblations into the ritual fire. The Udgatr is a priest of the Samaveda 
and is responsible for the singing. Each of these chief priests has several assistants. 
The Upanisads mention the Agnldhra, an assistant of the Adhvaryu, and Prastotr 
and Pratihartr, two assistants of the Udgatr. Besides these priests who actually per- 
form the various rites connected with the sacrifice, there is another chief priest 
called Brahman, who sits silently to the south of the offertorial fire. He is supposed 
to be the most learned and to know the entire sacrificial performance. The Brahman 
is expected to set right any ritual mistakes made by the other priests. 

The central feature of all vedic sacrifices, from the simplest to the most com- 
plex, is the ritual fire. All offerings are made in the fire, and it is believed that as the 
fire consumes the offering, the gods themselves partake of it. The Sanskrit term agni 
is, at one and the same time, the ritual fire and the fire god, who is regarded as the 
mouth of the gods, for it is through the medium of the fire that the gods partake of 
the sacrificial offerings. 

During a vedic sacrifice, normally three ritual fires were used: the household- 
er’s fire ( gdrhapatya ), the southern fire ( anvaharyapacana or simply daksinagni), 
and the offertorial fire ( ahavanlya ). These fires are placed in the hollow of fire pits 
of different shapes. The householder’s fire is located in the west; the southern fire is 
somewhat to the south and east of it; and the offertorial fire is directly to the east of 
it (see Fig. 2). At the beginning of the sacrifice, the householder’s fire is lit first, 
using a fire newly produced by churning the fire-drills (see BU 1 .4.6n). After that, 
the other two fires are lit with coals from the householder’s fire. Two other ritual 
fires are also noted in the Upanisads. They are the domestic fire, lit on the day of a 
man’s marriage and continuously maintained in the kitchen hearth, and the so-called 
assembly fire, probably associated with a king’s assembly hall. Thus one hears often 
of the “five fires,” and they are frequently connected with the fire breaths of a per- 
son (see BU 1.5.3n). 

Between the householder’s and the offertorial fires there is a rectangular area 
with concave sides (said to resemble the female body) called vedi. This sacred area 
is covered with sacred grass, and the sacrificial tools and utensils (knives, pots, 
cups, and the like) are placed there. 

There are three types of sacred utterances used in a ritual: the rc, the yajus, and 
the sdman. These three are drawn respectively from the collections (Samhita) of the 
Rgveda, Yajurveda, and the Samaveda, and recited or sung by the three classes of 
priests mentioned above. These utterances are the subject of intense scrutiny and 
speculation in the Upanisads. 

Finally, there is the daksina, the sacrificial fee or gift given by the patron to the 
officiating priests. It was only natural that it should be viewed as something quite 
important by Brahmins; their economic survival depended on it. Brahmanical theol- 
ogy invested the daksina with enormous power and importance and considered it 
the very foundation of the sacrifice, thereby encouraging the patrons to give gener- 
ously. The very outcome and efficacy of a ritual was believed to be dependent on 
the size of the sacrificial fee. 

Of the numerous sacrifices described in the vedic literature, two are singled out 


18 



Introduction 


for discussion in the Upanisads: the horse sacrifice and the Soma sacrifice . 26 These 
are long and complex sacrifices, and I will delineate here only a few major points of 
each. 

The horse sacrifice is performed by a king both to demonstrate his sovereignty 
and to ritually enhance his dominion. A fine horse with great speed and possessing 
special bodily marks and colors is selected and, after an elaborate ritual, set free to 
roam at will for a whole year. It is guarded by the king’s troops. Each day during 
this year special sacrifices are offered in the presence of the king, and priests recite 
tales and legends in ten-day cycles. At the end of the year the horse is brought back, 
killed, and its various parts cooked and offered in sacrifice, a procedure that takes 
three days. 

There are seven types of Soma sacrifices. Chief of these is called Agnistoma 
(lit., ‘Praise of Fire’), and the other Soma sacrifices are modeled after this. The 
Agnistoma is a rite intended to be performed during the spring and within a single 
day, although subsidiary rites are spread over several days. The central ceremony is 
the pressing of the Soma plants, generally by pounding with stones, to obtain the 
juice. During the day of the pressing, the Soma is pressed three times — in the 
morning, at noon, and in the evening — and a goat is sacrificed. The juice of the 
Soma is strained, mixed with milk, and offered to the gods in the fire and drunk by 
the priests. 

There has been much scholarly speculation about the identity of this plant. Its 
likely home was the hills of the northwestern regions, possibly extending into Af- 
ghanistan and Iran, since it was known also to the ancient Iranians. Already during 
the late vedic period, when the center of Brahmanism had shifted to the Ganges 
Valley, this plant was difficult to obtain; the ritual itself calls for the purchase of the 
plant, and several substitutes are permitted. Its importance in the ritual is evidenced 
by the fact that the entire ninth book of the Rgveda Samhita consists of Soma 
hymns. Soma also became a focus of ritual speculation. It was considered the drink 
of the gods, the drink that made gods immortal and confers immortality on mortals. 
Soma is contained in the moon, and the drinking of that Soma by the gods explains 
the waning of the moon. Every month the moon is replenished with Soma and thus 
waxes. Often in these documents. Soma is another name for the moon. 

Vedic Cosmologies 

During the early vedic period the universe was viewed as consisting of three spheres 
( loka ): the earth, the sky or firmament, and the space between these two, the inter- 
mediate region. The ancient Indians shared this tripartite cosmology with other 
Indo-European peoples. The phenomena associated with the sky and the intermedi- 
ate region drew the attention of the early vedic poets in a special way: the rain 


26. The most convenient place to read about these, as well as the daily fire sacrifice and the build- 
ing of the fire-altar dealt with in the KaU, is Kane 1962-75, ii. 976-1255. The Soma sacrifice is de- 
scribed in detail in Caland and Henry 1906. 


19 



The Early Upanisads 


clouds, lightning, thunder, wind, storm, and rain in the intermediate region, and the 
sun, moon, stars, and the brilliant vault of heaven in the sky. 

This tripartite universe was controlled by personal powers, the gods. For the 
most part, these gods are associated with their natural counterparts, such as the sun, 
moon, storm, rivers, and fire. Often the Sanskrit names of the gods are identical to 
the names of the corresponding cosmic entity; thus, Surya is the Sun and Agni is the 
Fire. Sometimes the names vary, but the connection with the cosmic phenomena is 
unmistakable; thus Indra is connected with thunder and the releasing of waters; his 
weapon is the thunderbolt (BU 3.9.6). 

In the early vedic period the gods themselves are distributed among the three 
spheres: there are the gods of the earth, the gods of the intermediate region, and the 
gods of the sky. Although this distribution persists, the gods came to be generally 
located in the sky, the realm of light and immortality. The Sanskrit terms for these 
three spheres — bhur, bhuvas, svar — became sacred sounds, possibly because they 
contained the totality of the universe (see CU 2.23.2n). Much Upanisadic specula- 
tion centers on the hidden meaning of these sounds. 

In recent studies of vedic cosmology, Witzel (1984) and Brereton (1991) have 
drawn attention to the importance of the Milky Way and the stars around the pole- 
star. Witzel has shown that the expression svarga loka (lit., ‘bright world’ com- 
monly translated as ‘heavenly world’) refers specifically to the Milky Way. The 
door to this world is located at the mouth of the two arms extending toward the east 
from the Milky Way viewed during the winter months in northern India, which ex- 
plains the importance of the east and the northeast in the ritual and in cosmological 
speculations. The Milky Way is also the bright ocean of heaven, the celestial waters; 
it is the source of the rivers that flow from the Himalayan mountains, thus connect- 
ing the earthly to the celestial waters. 

By the late vedic period, however, we note the emergence of a new plan of the 
universe with seven spheres, positing three farther regions beyond the sky, called 
Mahas, Janas, and Tapas, and the farthest world named Satyaloka (‘world of truth’) 
or Brahmaloka (‘world of Brahman’). Parallel to these seven upper or pleasant 
worlds, texts from a much later period posit seven descending and unpleasant 
worlds or hells, but the Upanisads show no sign of such a conception. 

Another conception of the universe divides it into the world of humans, the 
world of ancestors or fathers, and the world of gods (BU 1.5.16). Although less tied 
to observable reality, it is more significant for beliefs regarding the afterlife. The 
world of humans is, of course, the observable world in which our normal lives are 
lived. During the early period all humans, or at least those who had lived a ritually 
correct life, were believed to go to the world of fathers, but the Upanisads reveal a 
new perception of that world, according to which only those who are destined to 
return to and to be reborn in this world follow the path to the world of the fathers, 
while those destined not to return and to become immortal proceed to the world of 
the gods (see BU 6.2 and parallels). 

This new conception is tied to an emergent worldview centered on the doctrine 
of rebirth. The manner in which the rebirth process was thought to operate is similar 
to that in which Brahmanical thought viewed the operation of ritual actions. Rites 


20 



Introduction 


achieve their results by their own autonomous power and according to a ritual law 
of cause and effect; ritual success does not depend on the will of a god. The moral 
law that governs the rebirth process operates in a similar manner; those who per- 
form good actions are reborn in good situations, while those who do the opposite 
proceed to evil births (CU 5.10.7). The correlation between the ritual and ethical 
spheres apparent in these early texts is made easier by the fact that the same Sanskrit 
term, karman (lit. ‘action’), is used for both ritual and moral actions. The ethiciza- 
tion of cosmic processes evident in the Upanisads, moreover, remains a constant 
feature of later Indian cosmologies. 

The early view of the mechanism of rebirth and of the escape from the rebirth 
cycle as depicted in the famous doctrine of five fires (BU 6.2) is tied to the old view 
of a tripartite and enclosed universe. The firmament, the vault of heaven, is viewed 
as a solid cover. After they are cremated, humans destined to be reborn go up to the 
moon in the form of smoke or vapor; from there they return to earth as rain, enter 
plants, and, when they are eaten by a man, become semen. They finally take on a 
new life in the womb of a woman. The universe is thus a prison with walls above 
(firmament) and below (earth). Those who possess the liberating knowledge, how- 
ever, are able to break this cycle, to escape from this prison. The sun is viewed as a 
lid that covers the only opening in the vault of heaven, the only door to freedom; the 
sun permits the liberated individuals to pass through that opening and escape to the 
immortal condition outside the universe. 

Another central concern of the Upanisadic thinkers relates to the “beginnings”; 
the expression “in the beginning” (agre) is frequent and opens the narrative of crea- 
tion stories. The creator, the source from which creation emerged, most often is 
Prajapati, the principal creator god of the Brahmanas, who is identified with the sac- 
rifice itself (BU 3.9.6). The other two principles located at the “beginning” with 
some frequency are Brahman and Atman, which I will discuss below. 

By the time of the later verse Upanisads, such as the Svetasvatara, new and 
more theoretical cosmologies had emerged, the most prominent of which is that 
associated with the Samkhya and Yoga traditions. Since these are some of the oldest 
documents reflecting Samkhya conceptions of the universe, the precise cosmology 
underlying them is unclear; that cosmology is certainly different from the classical 
accounts of Samkhya cosmology contained in scholastic works of later times. Like 
the latter, however, this early cosmology posits a material source, a primal matter, 
called prakrti or pradhdna. This primal matter, originally unmanifest, contains three 
qualities or strands ( guna ): goodness ( sattva ), energy (rajas), and darkness (tamas). 
The visible and manifest universe has proceeded from the original primal matter; 
the three qualities are distributed in different proportions within the various con- 
stituents of the universe. Unlike classical Samkhya, however, this early cosmology 
posits a single and unique god who rules over the primal matter and regulates the 
production of the visible universe from it. Besides primal matter and god, there are 
the individual souls of humans, souls that are trapped within material bodies pro- 
duced by primal matter. It is through the help of god that these souls can hope to be 
liberated from the material prison. 


21 



The Early Upanisads 


Human Physiology and Psychology 


Although ritual and cosmological speculations abound in the Upanisads, the focus 
of their inquiry is the human person — the construction of the body, its vital powers 
and faculties, the cognitive processes, and the essential core of a human being. It is, 
of course, not surprising that the human being is a central concern of human 
thought; religious doctrines throughout the world tend to be anthropocentric. 

In ancient India, however, the human body was invested with unparalleled 
cosmological significance, and parts of the body were homologized with cosmic 
phenomena. I have made reference to the ancient cosmogonic hymn found in the 
Rgveda (10.90) and predating the Upanisads by several centuries, a hymn that de- 
picts the creation of the universe through the sacrificial dismemberment of the body 
of a primeval man (purusa ). From the parts of his sacrificed body, there emerged 
not only the varnas of society but also the parts of the cosmos: sun from the eye, 
moon from the mind, wind from the breath, sky from the head, earth from the feet, 
and so on. I will deal in greater detail with these cosmic connections in the next 
section; here I want to briefly describe the Upanisadic assumptions about human 
physiology and psychology. 

In these documents, the term most frequently used with reference to a living, 
breathing body is atman, a term liable to misunderstanding and mistranslating be- 
cause it can also mean the spiritual self or the inmost core of a human being, besides 
functioning as a mere reflexive pronoun. The body which is the object of investiga- 
tion, moreover, is primarily the male body; the female body enters the discussion 
infrequently and then mostly within the context of male sexual activity. The term 
yoni used in these contexts can mean both the vagina in which the semen is depos- 
ited and the womb in which the fetus develops. 

The obvious external construction of the human, as well as the animal, body is, 
of course, known to our authors. The priests butchered sacrificial animals, and this 
dissection must have provided them with detailed information on the internal organs 
of animals. This knowledge is displayed, for example, in the opening statement of 
the BU (1.1.1), which homologizes parts of the horse’s body with cosmic realities. 
The body is distinguished according to vertical and horizontal axes into the left and 
the right, and into the upper and the lower (the forequarter and the hindquarter, in 
the case of an animal), each with its own symbolic value. The left, for example, is 
associated with the female, and the right with the male. 

It is, however, the vital powers — powers of movement, evacuation, ejaculation, 
breathing, and speaking, as well as thinking and the five senses — that are the focus 
of Upanisadic inquiry. The most important of these are breathing, thinking, speech, 
sight, and hearing. Together, these five are often called “breaths” (prana ), “breath” 
here carrying the meaning of life and vital force (see BU 1.5.21 for a traditional ex- 
planation of why they are called “breaths”). In dealing with sight and hearing, and to 
some extent also in the case of the other faculties, these documents clearly distin- 
guish the power or the act of seeing and hearing from the respective external organs, 
the eyes and the ears. Indeed, they consistently use different Sanskrit terms for the 


22 



Introduction 


two — caksus and srotra for sight and hearing, and aksan and karna for eye and ear, 
respectively. 

Of the vital powers, breathing is the most important. Several Upanisads equate 
breath with life and even with a person’s self (atmari). The inquiry into the power of 
breathing led these thinkers to distinguish several types of breath within the body. In 
general, five breaths are identified; the exact meaning of each is not altogether clear, 
and the meaning of some appears to have changed over time. In much of this litera- 
ture, however, the five breaths appear to have the following meanings: breathing out 
(prana), breathing in ( apana ), the breath that moves up ( udana ), the breath that tra- 
verses (vyana), and the breath that equalizes or links ( samana )P 

The first, prana, is the one most commonly referred to, and it is often used as a 
generic term for breath, as a term for life, and, in the plural, to refer to the vital 
powers discussed above. Over time, the word apana comes to mean also the breath 
that moves down from the navel and is responsible for evacuation and the breaking 
of wind. Vyana may have meant originally the interval between inhalation and ex- 
halation; thus it is said to be where the out-breath and in-breath meet, and it is, 
therefore, identified with speech, because in speaking one breathes neither in nor 
out (CU 1.3.3). Later it came to be viewed as the breath responsible for blood cir- 
culation. Samana, likewise, came to be located in the belly and to be associated with 
the digestion of food. The picture that emerges is of a body pervaded by air, which 
circulates within it along various channels; this vital air is what enlivens the body 
and makes it perform its many functions. Reference is also made to a “breath within 
the mouth” (BU 1.3.7-27) and to a “central breath” (BU 1.5.21-22), which are 
viewed as the primary carriers of life. 

The inner organ that is the subject of intense scrutiny is the heart. The heart has 
a cavity at the center and is surrounded by the pericardium. Channels or veins run 
from the heart to the pericardium and to other parts of the body. The cavity of the 
heart is the seat of the vital powers and the self and plays a central role in the expla- 
nations of the three states of awareness — waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep — 
as well as of death. In sleep, the cognitive powers distributed throughout the body 
during the waking hours are gathered together in the cavity of the heart. The space 
of this cavity is homologized with cosmic space (see CU 3.12.7-9), and in the 
dream state the person travels about this space seeing and enjoying the same type of 
things that he experienced while awake. During deep and dreamless sleep, the self 
slips out of that cardiac space and enters the veins going from the heart to the peri- 
cardium; there it remains oblivious to everything (see BU 2.1; 4.3-4). At death the 
self, together with the vital powers, departs from the heart along a channel and exits 
through either the crown of the head (TU 1.6) or the eye (BU 4.4.2). 


27. Breaths, or air circulating in the body, are also an important topic in ancient Indian medicine, 
the Ayurveda. The terms for the various breaths have been subject to much debate and misunderstanding. 
It was once thought, for example, that prana meant inhalation (so Bohtlingk 1897a, 80, 94; 1897b, 129), 
and that meaning is found even today in many dictionaries. Bodewitz (1986a, 334-36) has shown that 
udana in some contexts is synonymous with apana and means inhalation. For a review of the discussion, 
see Bodewitz 1986a; Zysk 1993. 


23 



The Early Upanisads 


Cosmic Connections 

In the preceding survey we noted three areas of concern for the vedic thinkers: the 
ritual, the cosmic realities, and the human body/person. The ritual sphere includes 
ritual formulas, prayers, and songs, as well as ritual actions and ceremonies. As we 
have seen, the vedic thinkers did not make a strict distinction between the gods and 
cosmic realities; so the cosmic sphere includes both. The central concern of all vedic 
thinkers, including the authors of the Upanisads, is to discover the connections that 
bind elements of these three spheres to each other. The assumption then is that the 
universe constitutes a web of relations, that things that appear to stand alone and 
apart are, in fact, connected to other things. A further assumption is that these real 
cosmic connections are usually hidden from the view of ordinary people; discover- 
ing them constitutes knowledge, knowledge that is secret and is contained in the 
Upanisads. And it is this knowledge of the hidden connections that gives the person 
with that knowledge power, wealth, and prestige in this world, and heavenly bliss 
and immortality after death. While in the earlier vedic texts the focus is on the con- 
nections between the ritual and cosmic spheres, the concern of the Upanisadic 
thinkers shifts to the human person; the connections sought after are between parts 
of the human organism and cosmic realities. 

In the early vedic literature the term most commonly used for “connection’ is 
bandhu, a term derived from a verb meaning “to bind,” “to connect . 1,28 Bandhu 
commonly means a kin, but when one thing is said to be a bandhu of another, the 
meaning is that the former is connected to or is a counterpart of the latter. The earli- 
est usage of the important term upanisad indicates that it, too, carried a similar 
meaning: upanisad means “connection” or “equivalence.” 29 In addition, the term 
implies hierarchy; the Upanisadic connections are hierarchically arranged, and the 
quest is to discover the reality that stands at the summit of this hierarchically inter- 
connected universe. It is, however, assumed that such connections are always hid- 
den. We see the term used with this meaning in the Upanisads themselves, for 
example, at CU 1.1.10 and 1.13.4. Because of the hidden nature of these connec- 
tions, the term upanisad also came to mean a secret, especially secret knowledge or 
doctrine. It is probably as an extension of this meaning that the term came finally to 
be used with reference to entire texts containing such secret doctrines — that is, our 
Upanisads. 

Another extremely common Upanisadic term that refers to the connections and 
equivalences existing within the universe is “venerate.” When a text states that 
someone venerates X as Y, the meaning is that he recognizes the hidden connection 
or homology between the two (see BU 4.1.2n). Thus, at CU 1.2.10-12, Angiras, 


28. For studies of this concept, see Gonda 1965 and Smith 1989. 

29. On this meaning of upanisad, see Renou 1946; Thieme 1968a, 83-87, and Falk 1986b. Gren- 
Eklund (1984, 117) states that the term ‘‘denotes the fact of two things being placed in a relation to each 
other.” In the light of these studies, the older view (Deussen 1966 [1906], 13) that the term derives from 
“sitting near” a teacher and refers to a group of disciples at the feet of a teacher imbibing esoteric knowl- 
edge is clearly untenable. The term comes to mean also a secret doctrine or rite: see Bodewitz 1986b, 
438, n. 4. 


24 



Introduction 


Brhaspati, and Ayasya are said to have venerated the High Chant as the breath 
within the mouth. The text then goes on to reveal the hidden etymologies of the 
names of those individuals that make them identified with that very breath. The 
message is clear: anyone who comes to know such a hidden homology becomes 
himself identified with the things whose homology he has recognized. 

An excellent example of such connections is the opening paragraph of the BU, 
where parts of the sacrificial horse’s body and even its physical activities (i.e., the 
ritual sphere) are connected to phenomena in the world (i.e., the cosmic sphere). 
Elsewhere the ritual sphere is connected to the bodily, and the bodily sphere to the 
cosmic: the Rc is connected to earth, atmosphere, and heaven, and the Saman to fire, 
wind, and sun (BU 1.6); the Rc, to speech, sight, and hearing, and the Saman to 
breath, body, and mind (BU 1.7); and speech, breath, sight, hearing, and mind are 
connected to fire, wind, sun, quarters (points of the compass), and moon, respec- 
tively (BU 1.3.11-16). Some of these connections, such as that between eye and 
sun, and breath and wind, follow natural associations; others, such as that between 
mind and moon, are more difficult to fathom, at least for the modern reader, and 
may be based on the then current views on the nature of or mythical associations 
between the mind and the moon. 

An important basis for these connections, however, is the phonetic similarity 
between the Sanskrit words for two things or even the fact that the two terms may 
have the same number of syllables. 30 One finds with an almost annoying frequency 
such “etymological” connections in these documents, especially in the Chando- 
gya. 31 Thus the connection between the High Chant and the sun (CU 1.3.1) is based 
on the phonetic similarity between udgitha (‘High Chant’) and udyan (‘rising’). 
Some modem scholars have dismissed these as fanciful folk etymologies. These are 
clearly not “folk” etymologies; the authors of these documents were learned men, 
and these documents themselves demonstrate that the science of grammar had al- 
ready reached a high degree of sophistication. These men clearly knew the philol- 
ogical etymologies of the terms they deal with, but their quest was not for such 
common and well-known connections but for deeper and hidden ones, and they 
found in the sounds of the names a clue to those connections. 

This belief that what sounds alike must be alike was founded on the theory that 
the essence of a thing was expressed in its name and its visible appearance ( nama - 
rupa). The importance given to speech sounds is evident in the discussions of such 
special sounds as bhur, bhuvas, and svar (the sounds that correspond to the three 
worlds), as well as the most basic and powerful sound of all, OM. These speech 
sounds are powerful in themselves and provide access to the basic reality of the 
world, to Brahman. To understand these etymological connections, then, we must 
enter — which is not the same as to believe in or to accept — the framework of their 
own worldview; dismissing them as fanciful does not further understanding. These 
phonetic equivalences also highlight the highly oral nature of the vedic texts; they 
were composed and handed down from generation to generation orally. These texts 


30. See, for example, BU 5. 5. 3-4; 5.14.1-3. Regarding the counting of syllables in ancient Indian 
texts, see Jamison 1986, especially p. 165.. 

3 1 . These phonetic etymologies occurring in the Upanisads have been collected by Singh 1994. 


25 



The Early Upanisads 


also came to life within the communities in their oral enactment within ritual recita- 
tions, both public and private, as well as in the traditional methods of education. 32 

Some scholars have argued that these connections amount to the acknowledg- 
ment of the identity between disparate realities, while others contend that they 
merely show resemblance. Whether it is identity or resemblance, those who note 
these connections also seek to establish a hierarchy of connected things, or, looking 
at it from a different angle, to discover deeper and deeper realities that serve as the 
foundation or basis for others (cf. BU 2.9.19-26). Several metaphors are used to 
indicate this hierarchic connection and dependence of one reality on another, meta- 
phors such as the string on which the world is strung (BU 2.7) and that on which the 
world is woven back and forth (BU 2.6 and 8). This is possibly the idea that gives 
some unity to the diverse thoughts of the Upanisads, and Brereton (1990, 118) ex- 
presses it succinctly: “each Upanishadic teaching creates an integrative vision, a 
view of the whole which draws together the separate elements of the world and of 
human experience and compresses them into a single form. To one who has this 
larger vision of things, the world is not a set of diverse and disorganized objects and 
living beings, but rather forms a totality with a distinct shape and character.” 

Two significant items within this hierarchically connected and organized uni- 
verse are called Brahman and Atman, two concepts that have been pivotal in the 
development of later Indian philosophies and theologies and that have been subject 
to intense scrutiny by modern scholarship. These permit the Upanisads to create “an 
integrative vision by identifying a single, comprehensive and fundamental principle 
which shapes the world” (Brereton 1990, 1 18). It is impossible to analyze them ade- 
quately within the confines of this Introduction. Both are viewed in their own way 
as occupying the summit of the hierarchically arranged and interconnected universe. 

Atman, as I have already pointed out, has many meanings and usages in the 
Upanisadic vocabulary; one such usage refers to the “Self,” the ultimate essence of a 
human being, even though there is no agreement as to what constitutes that essence. 
It will, however, be anachronistic to interpret this usage of the term as referring only 
to some “spiritual” core of a human being; the image of the physical human body is 
present even when the Upanisads are attempting to isolate that core. Thus in CU 
5.12-17 Asvapati points to the inadequacy of several identifications of the self by 
stating that the thing so identified is only the head or the bladder or the feet of the 
self. 

Brahman, likewise, has a variety of meanings, and it is impossible to use a sin- 
gle English term to designate all those meanings. 33 Brahman may mean “a formula- 
tion of truth,” 34 the Veda, or the ultimate and basic essence of the cosmos. The TU 
(3.1) provides a basic definition of this term in its latter meaning: “That from which 


32. For the essentially oral/aural nature of sacred scriptures, see William A. Graham, Beyond the 
Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion (Cambridge: Cambridge University 
Press, 1987), esp. 65-80, dealing with the Vedas. 

33. For specific and detailed studies of this term, the reader may consult Renou and Silburn 1949; 
Gonda 1950; and Thicme 1952. 

34. In this meaning, the term appears sometimes to indicate a body of texts; see BU 2.1. In; CU 
3.5. 1-2. 


26 



Introduction 


these beings are born; on which, once bom, they live; and into which they pass upon 
death — seek to perceive that! That is brahmanV' Brahman thus stands at the summit 
of the hierarchical scheme, or at the bottom as the ultimate foundation of all things, 
although it is important to remember that the concept always retains its verbal char- 
acter as “the sound expression” of truth or reality. The final upanisad or equation is 
between Atman, the essential I, and Brahman, the ultimate real. 

Even though this equation played a significant role in later developments of re- 
ligion and theology in India and is the cornerstone of one of its major theological 
traditions, the Advaita Vedanta, it is incorrect to think that the single aim of all the 
Upanisads is to enunciate this simple truth. A close reader of these documents will 
note the diversity of goals that their authors pursue, chief among which are food, 
prosperity, power, fame, and a happy afterlife. There are rites to secure greatness, to 
win a woman’s love , 35 to harm the lover of one’s wife, to ensure pregnancy, to 
guard against pregnancy, to assure a safe childbirth — the list can go on. Many 
scholars ignore these and similar passages in their search for the “philosophy” or 
“the fundamental conception” of the Upanisads. But are we justified in doing so? If 
the compilers of the Upanisads thought them significant enough to be included in 
these collections, who are we to reject them? These passages, I believe, are as im- 
portant to uncovering the religious history of the period as: the passages proclaiming 
the oneness of Atman and Brahman. 


35. Some early translators (e.g. Max Muller) were so offended by these explicit descriptions of 
sexuality that they either left those passages untranslated or translated them into Latin! 


27 



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ONE 


Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


The Brhadaranyaka Upanisad constitutes the concluding section of the voluminous 
Satapatha Brahmana of the White Yajurveda. Its name, The Great Aranyaka- 
Upanisad, indicates its character as both an Aranyaka and an Upanisad. The text has 
been preserved in two recensions, the Madhyandina and the Kanva; in both, the BU 
forms the final sections of the Satapatha. The two recensions present basically the 
same text, although there are differences in some significant readings and in the 
arrangement of individual sections. This edition and translation follows the Kanva 
recension. The variant readings of the Madhyandina recension are given in the 
notes. 

The Upanisad consists of three sections: (1) adhyayas 1-2, called the Madhu- 
kanda (“Honey Section”), getting its name from the final segment (2.5) of this sec- 
tion; (2) adhyayas 2-3, called the Yajnavalkyakanda (“Yajnavalkya Section”), in 
which this sage plays the central role; and (3) adhyayas 5-6, called Khilakanda 
(“Supplementary Section”). In its present form, this Upanisad has seen at least three 
editorial phases. The first consists of individual passages, dialogues, and stories that 
may have been preserved in the memory of individuals or groups. In the second 
phase different editors at different times must have made three independent collec- 
tions of them, collections that are preserved as the three sections of the BU. That 
these sections must have existed as separate texts is indicated by the genealogy of 
teachers appended to each, as well as by the repetition of the story of Yajnavalkya 
and his two wives in both the first and the second sections (2.4 and 4.5). It is, of 
course, likely that these sections underwent further expansion in the third phase, 
when an editor appears to have woven these separate texts into a whole and included 
them within the Satapatha Brahmana. Of the three, the first two sections exhibit 
greater internal consistency, while the third, which even the native tradition regards 
as supplementary, consists of disparate and often unconnected fragments. Never- 
theless, this section is important especially in showing the diversity of secret reci- 
pes — rites, incantations, and esoteric knowledge — that constituted the literature that 
we have come to call Upanisads. 


29 



The Early Upanisads 


On linguistic and other grounds, there is general agreement that the Brhad- 
aranyaka, as a whole, is the oldest of the Upanisads, even though individual pas- 
sages in it may be younger than those of others, especially those of the Chandogya. 

Together with the latter, the Brhadaranyaka not only constitutes about two- 
thirds of the corpus of ancient Upanisadic documents but also represents the oldest 
and the most important part of this literature. 


C ONTENTS 


1 


2 . 1 - 7 
2.7 

3 

3 . 1 - 18 

3 . 19-23 

3 . 24-28 

4 

4 . 1 - 8 
4 . 9-10 
4 . 11-15 
4 . 15-16 
4.17 

5 

5 . 1 - 13 
5 . 14-15 
5.16 
5 . 17-20 
5 . 21-23 


2 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 


1 . 15-20 


4 . 5-14 


Sacrificial horse identified with the universe 
Creation emerges from Death 
Origin of the horse sacrifice 
Contest between gods and demons 
Superiority of the breath within the mouth over other vital 
functions 

Homologies of breath: breath as Saman 
What one wins by means of Saman 
Creation 

Creation emerges from the self ( atman ) 

Brahman as one’s self 
Creation emerges from brahman 
The self as one’s world 
Creation emerges from the self ( atman ) 

Seven kinds of food 

Man identified with the year and Prajapati 

The three worlds 

Rite of transfer to the son 

Contest among vital functions: superiority of breath 


Dialogue between Drpta-Balaki and Ajatasatru on brahman 
The nature of sleep 
The central breath 

Two visible appearances of brahman 

Dialogue between Yajnavalkya and his wife, Maitreyl 

Discourse on the self 

All reality compared to honey 

Lineage of teachers 


30 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3 


Yajnavalkya at Janaka’s sacrifice: debate with eight teachers 


1 


Debate with Asvala on the ritual 

2 


Debate with Jaratkara on the graspers and life after death 

3 


Debate with Bhujyu: where do horse sacrificers go? 

4 


Debate with Usasta on brahman and the self 

5 


Debate with Kahola on brahman; giving up desires 

6 


Debate with GargI : on what is the universe woven? 

7 


Debate with Uddalaka: on what are the worlds strung? 

8 

Q 


Debate with GargI: on what is the universe woven? 

y 

9.1-26 

Debate with Vidagdha: how many gods are there? 

A 

9.27-28 

Yajnavalkya questions his opponents 

1-2 


Dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavalkya 


1.2 

Y. rejects Jitvan’s view that brahman is speech 


1.3 

Y. rejects Uddalka’s view that brahman is lifebreath 


1.4 

Y. rejects Barku’s view that brahman is sight 


1.5 

Y. rejects Gardabhlviplta’s view that brahman is hearing 


1.6 

Y. rejects Satyakama’s view that brahman is the mind 


1.7 

Y. rejects Vidagdha’ s view that brahman is the heart 


2.1-4 

Y.’s teaching on the self 

3-4 


A further dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavalkya 


3.1-8 

Self as one’s source of light 


3.9-34 

On dreaming and dreamless sleep 


3.35-4.2 

On what happens at death 


4.3-6 

On the course after death of those who desire 


4.6-25 

On the course after death of those who are without desires 

5 


Dialogue between Yajnavalkya and his wife, Maitrey! 


5.6-15 

Discourse on the self 

6 

C 


Lineage of teachers 

1 


Brahman is space 

2 


Prajapati’s instruction to gods and demons 

3 


Brahman is the heart 

4 


Brahman is the real 

5 


Waters create the real; the real creates the universe 

6 


Person within the heart 

7 


Brahman is lightning 


31 



The Early Upanisads 


8 

9 

10 
11 
12 

13 

14 

15 


6 


1 

2 


2.8-14 

2.15-16 

3 

4 

4.1-6 

4.7-11 

4.12 

4.13-23 

4.24-28 


Speech as a cow 

Fire common to all men and the digestive process 

Course of a man after death 

Sickness as austerity 

Brahman as food and breath together 

Priests and royalty as breath 

Cosmic correspondences of the Gayatri verse 

Prayer for safe passage after death 


Contest among vital functions: superiority of breath 
Pravahana’s questions to Svetaketu and instruction of 
Uddalaka 

Doctrine of five fires and transmigration 
The two paths of the dead — to gods and to fathers 
Offering to vital functions for securing a wish 
On sexual intercourse 
Obligation to have sex with women 
Rites to secure love and pregnancy, and to prevent 
pregnancy 

Rite to harm a wife’s lover 

Rites to obtain different types of children 

Rites for the newborn 

Lineage of teachers 


32 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


CONCORDANCE OF BU(K) AND BU(M) 

I give two types of numbering for the BU(M), the first according to Bohtlingk 
(1889a) and the second according to Weber’s edition of the SB. The sign + against a 
number indicates that that section contains additional material from the next section 
of the other recension. 


BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

1.1. 1-2 

1.1.1 

10.6.4.1 

1. 2.1-6 

1. 2.1-6 

10.6.5.1-6 

1.2.7 

1.2.7-8 

10.6.5.7-8 

1.3.1 

1. 3.1-2 

14.4.1.1-2 

1.3.2-17 

1.3.3-18 

14.4.1.3-18 

1.3.18 

1.3.19-20 

14.4.1.19-20 

1.3.19-27 

1.3.21-29 

14.4.1.21-29 

1.3.28 

1.3.30-33 

14.4.1.30-33 

1.4.1 

1.4. 1-2 

14.4.2.1-2 

1.4.2 

1.4.3 

14.4.2.3 

1.4.3 

1. 4.4-5 

14.4.2.4-5 

1.4.4 

1. 4.6-9 

14.4.2.6-9 

1.4.5 

1.4.10 

14.4.2.10 

1.4.6 

1.4.11-14 

14.4.2.11-14 

1.4.7 

1.4.15-18 

14.4.2.15-18 

1.4.8-9 

1.4.19-20 

14.4.2.19-20 

1.4.10 

1.4.21-22 

14.4.2.21-22 

1.4.11-14 

1.4.23-26 

14.4.2.23-26 

1.4.15 

1.4.27-28 

14.4.2.27-28 

1.4.16 

1.4.29 

14.4.2.29 

1.4.17 

1.4.30-31 

14.4.2.30-31 

1.5.1 

1.5.1 

14.4.3.1 

1.5.2 

1.5.2-7 

14.4.3.2-7 

1.5.3 

1.5.8-10 

14.4.3.8-10 

1.5.4-12 

1.5.11-19 

14.4.3.11-19 

1.5.13 

1.5.20-21 

14.4.3.20-21 

1.5.14-16 

1.5.22-24 

14.4.3.22-24 

1.5.17 

1.5.25-26 

14.4.3.25-26 

1.5.18-20 

1.5.27-29 

14.4.3.27-29 

1.5.21 

1.5.30-32 

14.4.3.30-32 

1.5.22-23 

1.5.33-34 

14.4.3.33-34 

1. 6.1-3 

1 .6.1-3 

14.4.41-43 

2.1. 1-9 

2.1. 1-9 

14.5.1.1-9 

2.1.10 

2.1.11 

14.5.1.11 

2.1.11 

2.1.10 

14.5.1.10 

2.1.12-16 

2.1.12-16 

14.5.1.12-16 


BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

2.1.17 

2.1.17-18 

14.5.1.17-18 

2.1.18 

2.1.19-20 

14.5.1.19-20 

2.1.19 

2.1.21-22 

14.5.1.21-22 

2.1.20 

2.1.23 

14.5.1.23 

2.2.1 

2.2.1-2 + 

14.5.2.1-2 

2.2.2 

2.2.2-3 

14.5.2.2-3 

2.2.3 

2.2.4-5 

14.5.2.4-5 

2.2.4 

2.2.6 

14.5.2.6 

2.3.1 

2.3.1 

14.5.3.1 

2.3.2 

2.3.2-3 

14.5.3.2-3 

2.3.3 

2.3.4-5 

14.5.3.4-5 

2.3.4 

2.3.6-7 

14.5.3.6-7 

2.3.5 

2.3.8-9 

14.5.3.8-9 

2.3.6 

2.3.10-11 

14.5.3.10-11 

2.4.1-7 

2.4.1-7 

14.5.4.1-7 

2.4.8 

2.4.9 

14.5.4.9 

2.4.9 

2.4.8 

14.5.4.8 

2.4.10-12 

2.4.10-12 

14.5.4.10-12 

2.4.13 

2.4.13-14 

14.5.4.13-14 

2.4.14 

2.4.15-16 

14.5.4.15-16 

2.5.1-3 

2.5.1-3 

14.5.5.1-3 

2.5.4 

2.5.5 

14.5.5.5 

2.5.5 

2.5.6 

14.5.5.6 

2.5.6 

2.5.8 

14.5.5.8 

2.5.7 

2.5.7 

14.5.5.7 

2.5.8 

2.5.9 

14.5.5.9 

2.5.9 

2.5.10 

14.5.5.10 

2.5.10 

2.5.4 

14.5.5.4 

2.5.11-19 

2.5.11-19 

14.5.5.11-19 

2.6.1-3 

2.5.20-22 

14.5.5.20-22 

3.1.1 

3.1.1-2* 

14.6.1.1-2 

3.1.2 

3.1 .2-4 

14.6.1.2-4 

3.1.3-10 

3.1.5-12 

14.6.1.5-12 

3.2.1-2 

3.2.1-2 

14.6.2.1-2 

3.2.3 

3.2.4 

14.6.2.4 

3.2.4 

3.2.3 

14.6.2.3 


33 



The Early Upanisads 


BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

3.2.5-10 

3.2.5-10 

14.6.2.5-10 

3.2.11 

3.2.12 

14.6.2.12 

3.2.12 

3.2.11 

14.6.2.11 

3.2.13 

3.2.13-14 

14.6.2.13-14 

3.3.1-2 

3.3.1-2 

14.6.3.1-2 

3.4. 1-2 

3.5.1 

14.6.5.1 

3.5.1 

3.4.1 

14.6.4.1 

3.6.1 

3.6.1 

14.6.6.1 

3.7.1 

3.7.1-5 

14.6.7.1-5 

37.2-5 

27.6-9 

14.6.7.6-9 

3.7.6 

3.7.7 

3.7.11 

14.6.7.11 

3.7.8 

3.7.9 

3.7.12 

14.6.7.12 

3.7.10 

3.7.14 

14.6.7.14 

3.7.11 

3.7.13 

14.6.7.13 

3.7.12 

3.7.10 

14.6.7.10 

3.7.13 

3.7.28 

14.6.7.28 

3.7.14 

3.7.27 

14.6.7.27 


3.7.15-19 

14.6.7.15-19 

3.7.15-21 

3.7.20-26 

14.6.7.20-26 

3.7.22 

3.7.23 

3.7.29, 31 

14.6.7.29, 31 


3.7.30 

14.6.7.30 

3.8.1-12 

3.8.1-12 

14.6.8.1-12 

3.9.1 

3.9.1-2 

14.6.9.1-2 

3.9.2-10 

3.9.3-11 

14.6.9.3-11 

3.9.11 

3.9.14 

14.6.9.14 

3.9.12-13 

3.9.12-13 

14.6.9.12-13 

3.9.14 

3.9.16 

14.6.9.16 

3.9.15 

3.9.15 

14.6.9.15 

3.9.16-17 

3.9.17-18 

14.6.9.17-18 

3.9.18-25 

3.9.19-26 

14.6.9.19-26 

3.9.26 

3.9.27-28 

14.6.9.27-28 

3.9.27 

3.9.29 

14.6.9.29 

3.9.28 

3.9.30-34 

14.6.9.30-34 

4.1.1 

4.1.1* 

14.6.10.1 

4.1.2 

4.1.1, 5-7* 

14.6.10.1, 4-7 

4.1.3 

4.1.7, 2-^4* 

14.6.10.7, 2-4 

4.1.4 

4.1.7—10* 

14.6.10.7-10 

4.1.5 

4. 1.10-13* 

14.6.10.10-13 

4.1.6 

4.1.13-16* 

14.6.10.13-16 

4.1.7 

4.1.16-19 

14.6.10.16-19 


BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

4.2.1-2 

4.2.1-2 

14.6.11.1-2 

4.2.3 

4.2.3-4 

14.6.11.3-4 

4.2.4 

4.2.5-6 

14.6.11.5-6 

4.3. 1-8 

4.3. 1-8 

14.7.1.1-8 

4.3.9 

4.3.9-10 

14.7.1.9-10 

4.3.10-13 

4.3.11-14 

14.7.1.11-14 

4.3.14 

4.3.14-16 

14.7.1.14-16 

4.3.15 

(4.3.40*) 

(14.7.1.40) 

4.3.16 

4.3.17 

4.3.17 

14.7.1.17 

4.3.18-19 

4.3.18-19 

14.7.1.18-19 

4.3.20 

4.3.20* 

14.7.1.20 

4.3.21-30 

4.3.31 

4.3.21-30 

14.7.1.21-30 

4.3.32 

4.3.31 

14.7.1.31 

4.3.33 

4.3.32-9, 41 *14.7.1.32-39, 41 

4.3.34 

4.3.40* 

14.7.1.40 

4.3.35 

4.3.42 

14.7.1.42 

4.3.36 

4.3.41* 

14.7.1.41 

4.3.37-38 

4.3.43-44 

14.7.1.43-44 

4.4.1 

4.4.1* 

14.7.2.1 

4.4.2 

4.4. 1-3 

14.7.2.1-3 

4.4.3-4 

4.4.4-5 

14.7.2.4-5 

4.4.5 

4.4.6-7 

14.7.2.6-7 

4.4.6 

4.4.8 

14.7.2.8 

4.4.7 

4.4.9-10 

14.7.2.9-10 

4.4.8-11 

4.4.11-14 

14.7.2.11-14 

4.4.12-13 

4.4.16-17 

14.7.2.16-17 

4.4.14 

4.4.15 

14.7.2.15 

4.4.15 

4.4.18 

14.7.2.18 

4.4.16 

4.4.20 

14.7.2.20 

4.4.17 

4.4.19 

14.7.2.19 

4.4.18-21 

4.4.21-23 

14.7.2.21-23 

4.4.22 

4.4.24-27 

14.7.2.24-27 

4.4.23 

4.4.28, 30 

14.7.2.28, 30 

4.4.24 

4.4.29 

14.7.2.29 

4.4.25 

4.4.31 

14.7.2.31 

4.5. 1-8 

4.5. 1-8 

14.7.3.1-8 

4.5.9 

4.5.10 

14.7.3.10 

4.5.10 

4.5.9 

14.7.3.9 

4.5.11-13 

4.5.11-13 

14.7.3.11-13 

4.5.14 

4.5.14-15 

14.7.3.14-15 


4.5.16-23 

14.7.3.16-23 

4.5.15 

4.5.24-25 

14.7.3.24-25 


34 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

BU(K) 

BU(M) 

SB 

4.6.1-3 

4.5.26-28 

14.7.3.26-28 

6.2.3 

6.1.5 14.9.1.5 

5.1.1 

5.1.1 

14.8.1.1 

6.2.4 

6.1. 6-8* 

14.9.1.6-8 

5.2.1 

5.2.1-2 

14.8.2.1-2 

6.2.5-7 

6.1.8-11* 

14.9.1.8-11 

5.2.2-3 

5.2.3-4 

14.8.2.3-4 

6.2.8-13 

6.1.11-16* 

14.9.1.11-16 

5.3.1 

5.4.1 

14.8.4.1 

6.2.14-16 

6.1.16-19 

14.9.1.16-19 

5.4.1 

5.5.1 

14.8.5.1 

6.3.1 

6.3. 1-3 

14.9.3.1-3 

5.5.1 

5.6.1-2 

14.8.6.1-2 

6.3.2 

6.3.4 

14.9.3.4 

5.5.2-4 

5.6.3-5 

14.8.6.3-5 

6.3.3 

6.3.8, 7, 6, 5 14.9.3.8, 7, 6, 5 

5.6.1 

5.8.1 

14.8.8.1 

6.3.4-5 

6.3.9-10 

14.9.3.9-10 

5.7.1 

5.7.1 

14.8.7.1 

6.3.6 

6.3.11-14 

14.9.3.11-14 

5.8.1 

5.9.1 

14.8.9.1 

6.3.7-12 

6.3.15-20 

14.9.3.15-20 

5.9.1 

5.10.1 

14.8.10.1 

6.3.13 

6.3.21-22 

14.9.3.21-22 

5.10.1 

5.12.1 

14.8.12.1 

64.1-3 

6.4.1-3 

14.9.4.1-3 

5.11.1 

5.11.1 

14.8.11.1 

6.4.4 

6.44-5* 

14.9.4.4-5 

5.12.1 

5.13.1-3 

14.8.13.1-3 

6.4.5 

6.4.5 

14.9.4.5 

5.13.1-4 

5.14.1-4 

14.8.14.1-4 

6.4.6 

64.6-7* 

14.9.4.6-7 

5.14.1-2 

5.15.1-2 

14.8.15.1-2 

6.4.7 

6.4.7 

14.9.4.7 

5.14.3 

5.15.3-4 

14.8.15.3-4 

6.4.8 



5.14.4 

5.15.5-7 

14.8.15.5-7 

6.4.9-23 

6.4.8-22 

14.9.4.8-22 

5.14.5-7 

5.15.8-10 

14.8.15.8-10 

6.4.24 

6.4.23-24 

14.9.4.23-24 

5.14.8 

5.15.11-12 

14.8.15.11-12 

6.4.25-26 

6.4.25 

14.9.4.25 

5.15.1* 

5.3.1 

14.8.3.1 


6.4.26 

14.9.4.26 

6.1-13 

6.2.1-3 

14.9.2.1-3 

6.4.27 

6.4.28 

14.9.4.28 

6.1.14 

6.2.14-15 

14.9.2.14-15 

6.4.28 

6.4.27, 29 

14.9.4.27, 29 

6.2.1 

6.1.1 14.9.1.1 

6.5. 1-4 

6.4.29-33 

14.9.4.29-33 

6.2.2 

6.1.2-4 

14.9.1.2-4 





35 



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fef: 1 q^Tcf dtcTcfrsfdfr Win^TRW Td^'Uldlfa STfcT w dgrwrw- 

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gfctfed": l m ^r ffcr cf^r yRR%RR f^gpr I R 1 1 


36 





ADHYAYA 1 


I The head of the sacrificial horse, clearly, is the dawn — its sight is the sun; its 
breath is the wind; and its gaping mouth is the fire common to all men. The 
body ( atman ) of the sacrificial horse is the year — its back is the sky; its abdomen is 
the intermediate region; its underbelly is the earth; its flanks are the quarters; its ribs 
are the intermediate quarters; its limbs are the seasons; its joints are the months and 
fortnights; its feet are the days and nights; its bones are the stars; its flesh is the 
clouds; its stomach contents are the sand; its intestines are the rivers; its liver and 
lungs are the hills; its body hairs are the plants and trees; its forequarter is the rising 
sun; and its hindquarter is the setting sun. When it yawns, lightning flashes; when it 
shakes itself, it thunders; and when it urinates, it rains. Its neighing is speech itself. 

2 The day, clearly, was born afterwards to be the sacrificial cup placed in front 
of the horse, and its womb is in the eastern sea. The night was born afterwards to be 
the sacrificial cup placed behind the horse, and its womb is in the western sea. 
These two came into being to be the sacrificial cups placed in front of and behind 
the horse. It became a racer and carried the gods. It became a charger and carried 
the Gandharvas. It became a courser and carried the demons. It became a horse and 
carried the humans. The sea, indeed, is its counterpart; the sea is its womb. 

2 In the beginning there was nothing here at all. Death alone covered this com- 
pletely, as did hunger; for what is hunger but death? Then death made up his 
mind: “Let me equip myself with a body (atman).” So he undertook a liturgical 
recitation (arc), and as he was engaged in liturgical recitation water sprang from 
him. And he thought: “While I was engaged in liturgical recitation (arc), water (ka) 
sprang up for me.” This is what gave the name to and discloses the true nature of 
recitation (arka). Water undoubtedly springs for him who knows the name and na- 
ture of recitation in this way. 2 3 So, recitation is water. 

Then the foam that had gathered on the water solidified and became the earth. 
Death toiled upon her. When he had become worn out by toil and hot with exertion, 
his heat — his essence — turned into fire. 

3 He divided this body (atman) of his into three — one third became the sun and 
another the wind. He is also breath divided into three. His head is the eastern quar- 
ter, and his two forequarters are the southeast and the northeast. His tail is the west, 
and his two hindquarters are the southwest and the northwest. His flanks are the 
south and the north. His back is the sky; his abdomen is the intermediate region; and 
his chest is this earth. He stands firm in the waters. A man who knows this will 
stand firm wherever he may go. 


37 



1.2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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38 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.3.2 


4 Then death had this desire: “Would that a second body ( atman ) were born for 
me!” So, by means of his mind, he copulated with speech, death copulated with 
hunger. Then the semen he emitted became the year. The year simply did not exist 
before this. He carried him for as long as a year, at the end of which he gave birth to 
him. As he was born, death opened its mouth to swallow him. He cried out, “ Bhan\ ” 
That is what became speech. 

5 Death reflected: “If I kill him, I will only reduce my supply of food.” So, with 
that speech and that body (atman) he gave birth to this whole world, to everything 
that is here— Rgvedic verses, Yajurvedic formulas, Samavedic chants, meters, sacri- 
fices, people, and animals. He began to eat whatever he gave birth to. “He eats (ad) 
all” — it is this that gave the name to and discloses the true nature of Aditi. When 
someone comes to know the name and nature of Aditi in this way, he becomes the 
eater of this whole world, and the whole world here becomes his food. 

6 Then death had this desire: “Let me make an offering once more, this time 
with a bigger sacrifice.” So he strenuously toiled and fiercely exerted himself. 
When he had become worn out by toil and hot with exertion, his splendor — his 
vigor — departed from him. Now, splendor — vigor — consists of the vital breaths. So, 
when his vital breaths had departed, his corpse began to bloat. His mind, however, 
still remained within his corpse. 

7 Then he had this desire: “I wish that this corpse of mine would become fit to 
be sacrificed so I could get myself a living body (atman)'” Then that corpse became 
a horse. “Because it bloated (as'vat), it became fit to be sacrificed (medhya)” — that 
is what gave the name to and discloses the true nature of the horse sacrifice 
(asvamedha). Only a man who knows the horse sacrifice in this way truly under- 
stands it. 

Death believed that the horse was not to be confined in any way. At the end of 
one year, he immolated it as a sacrifice to himself, while he assigned the other ani- 
mals to the gods. That is why people, when they immolate the horse consecrated to 
Prajapati, regard it as an offering to all the gods. 

The sun that shines up there, clearly, is a horse sacrifice; the year is its body 
(atman). The fire that burns down here is the ritual fire; these worlds are its body. 
Now, there are these two: the horse sacrifice and the ritual fire (arka). Yet they con- 
stitute in reality a single deity — they are simply death. [Whoever knows this] averts 
repeated death — death is unable to seize him, death becomes his very body (atman), 
and he becomes one of these deities. 


3 Now, Prajapati’ s offspring were of two kinds: gods and demons. Indeed, the 
gods were the younger of his offspring, while the demons were the older; and 
they were competing for these worlds. So the gods said to themselves: “Come, let 
us overcome the demons during a sacrifice by means of the High Chant.” 

2 They then told speech: “Sing the High Chant for us.” Speech said, “Very 
well,” and sang the High Chant for them. It procured for them by that singing what- 
ever useful there is in speech; it keeps for itself (atman) whatever is pleasant in 
what it says. The demons thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to over- 


39 












Brhaclaranyaka Upanisad 


1.3.12 


come us.” So they rushed at it and riddled it with evil. That evil is the disagreeable 
things a person says — they are that very evil. 

3 Then the gods told breath: “Sing the High Chant for us.” Breath said, “Very 
well,” and sang the High Chant for them. It procured for them by that singing what- 
ever useful there is in breath; it keeps for itself whatever is pleasant in what it 
smells. The demons thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to overcome 
us.” So they rushed at it and riddled it with evil. That evil is the disagreeable things 
a person smells — they are that very evil. 

4 Then the gods told sight: “Sing the High Chant for us.” Sight said, “Very 
well,” and sang the High Chant for them. It procured for them by that singing what- 
ever useful there is in sight; it keeps for itself whatever is pleasant in what it sees. 
The demons thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to overcome us.” So 
they rushed at it and riddled it with evil. That evil is the disagreeable things a person 
sees — they are that very evil. 

5 Then the gods told hearing: “Sing the High Chant for us.” Hearing said, “Very 
well,” and sang the High Chant for them. It procured for them by that singing what- 
ever useful there is in hearing; it keeps for itself whatever is pleasant in what it 
hears. The demons thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to overcome 
us.” So they rushed at it and riddled it with evil. That evil is the disagreeable things 
a person hears — they are that very evil. 

6 Then the gods told mind: “Sing the High Chant for us.” Mind said, “Very 
well,” and sang the High Chant for them. It procured for them by that singing what- 
ever useful there is in the mind; it keeps for itself whatever is pleasant in what it 
thinks. The demons thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to overcome 
us.” So they rushed at it and riddled it with evil. That evil is the disagreeable things 
a person thinks — they are that very evil. 

In this way they assaulted these deities with evil and riddled them with evil. 

7 Then the gods told the breath within the mouth: “Sing the High Chant for us.” 
This breath said, “Very well,” and sang the High Chant for them. The demons 
thought: “With this as their Udgatr, they are sure to overcome us.” So they rushed at 
it and tried to riddle it with evil. But, like a clod of earth hurled against a rock, they 
were smashed to bits flying in all directions and perished. As a result, the gods 
prospered, while the demons came to ruin. When someone knows this, he himself 
will prosper, while a rival who hates him will come to ruin. 

8 The gods then asked: “Where has he gone who stood by us like that?” 

“Here within the mouth.” 

This is Ayasya, the Angirasa, for it is the essence of the bodily parts. 

9 Now, this same deity is called D ur, because death keeps far {dura) from it. 
And death likewise keeps far from a man who knows this. 10 This same deity 
droveout from the other deities the evil that is death and chased it to the very ends 
of the earth. There it threw their evils down. Therefore, one should never visit for- 
eigners or travel to frontier regions lest one run into evil and death. 

1 1 This same deity, after it had driven out from the other deities the evil that is 
death, carried them beyond the reach of death. 12 Speech was the first one that it 
carried. And when speech was freed from death, it became fire. So, having gone 


41 



1 . 3.12 


The Early Upanisads 


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42 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.3.25 


beyond death, the fire now blazes here. 13 Then it carried breath. And when breath 
was freed from death, it became wind. So, having gone beyond death, the wind now 
blows here. 14 Then it carried sight. And when sight was freed from death, it became 
the sun. So, having gone beyond death, the sun now glows up there. 15 Then it car- 
ried hearing. And when hearing was freed from death, it became the quarters. These 
quarters have gone beyond death. 16 Then it carried the mind. And when the mind 
was freed from death, it became the moon. So, having gone beyond death, the moon 
now shines up there. In the same way, this deity carries beyond the reach of death 
anyone who knows this. 

17 Then the breath within the mouth procured a supply of food for itself by 
singing, for it alone eats whatever food is eaten and stands firm in this world. 18 But 
the other deities said to it: “This whole world is nothing but food ! And you have 
procured it for yourself by singing. Give us a share of that food.” It told them, 
“Come and gather around me.” They said, “Very well,” and gathered around it on 
all sides. Therefore, whatever food one eats through it satisfies also these others. 
When someone comes to know this, his people will gather around him in the same 
way; he will become their patron, their chief, and their leader; he will become an 
eater of food and a sovereign. And if anyone among his people tries to become a 
rival of someone who knows this, that man will be incapable of supporting even his 
own dependents. On the other hand, anyone who follows him, as well as anyone 
who, while following him, wishes to support his own dependents, becomes capable 
of supporting them. 

19 This breath is Ayasya, the Angirasa, for it is the essence of the bodily parts. 
Now, the essence of the bodily parts is breath, for it is very clear — the essence of 
the bodily parts is breath. Therefore, any part of the body from which breath departs 
is sure to wither, for it is the very essence of the bodily parts. 

20 And it is also Brhaspati. Brhatl, after all, is speech, and it is the lord (pati ) of 
speech. So it is Brhaspati. 21 And it is also Brahmanaspati. Brahman, after all, is 
speech, and it is the lord {pad ) of speech. So it is Brahmanaspati. 22 And it is also 
the Saman. The Saman, after all, is Speech. “It is both she (sa) and he ( ama )” — this 
gave the name to and discloses the true nature of the Saman. Or maybe it is called 
Saman because it is equal in size ( sama ) to a gnat or a mosquito, on the one hand, 
and to an elephant, to these three worlds, or even to the entire universe, on the other. 
When anyone comes to know the Saman in this way, he obtains union with and 
residence in the same world as the Saman. 23 And it is also the High Chant 
(udgitha). The “high” (ut) is, after all, breath, for this whole world is held up 
(uttabdha) bybreath. And “chant” ( githa ) is simply speech. Since it is high (ut) and 
it is chant (githa), it is the High Chant (udgitha). 24 This same point was made by 
Brahmadatta Caikitaneya while he was drinking King Soma: “May this King make 
my head shatter apart if Ayasya Angirasa sang the High Chant by any other means, 
for by speech and breath alone did he sing it.” 

25 When someone knows the wealth of this Saman, he comes to possess wealth. 
Now, the Saman’s wealth (sva) is the tone (svara) itself. For this reason, when 
someone is about to carry out priestly functions, he hopes for a rich tone in his voice 
so he can perform his priestly functions with a voice rich in tone. And for the same 


43 



1 . 3.25 


The Early Upanisads 


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44 








Bfhaclaranyaka JJpanisad 


1.4.2 


reason, people always try to find a priest with a rich tone for a sacrifice, that is, one 
who possesses that wealth. A man undoubtedly comes to possess wealth when he 
knows in this way the wealth of the Saman. 

26 When someone knows the gold of this Saman, he comes to possess gold. 
Now the Saman’ s gold ( suvarna ) is the tone (svara) itself. A man undoubtedly 
comes to possess gold when he knows in this way the gold of the Saman. 

22 When someone knows the basis of this Saman, he comes to possess a solid 
basis. Now, the Saman’s basis is speech itself, for, basing itself on speech, the 
breath sings it. Some, however, take food to be its basis. 

28 Next comes the chanting of the purificatory lauds. The Prastotr priest sings the 
Introductory Praise of the Saman, and, as he is singing the Introductory Praise, the 
patron of the sacrifice should silently recite: 

From the unreal 
lead me to the real! 

From the darkness 
lead me to the light! 

From death 

lead me to immortality! 

The unreal is death, and the real is immortality — so, when he says, “From the unreal 
lead me to the real,” what he is really saying is: “From death lead me to immortal- 
ity,” in other words, “Make me immortal.” Darkness is death, and light is immor- 
tality — so, when he says, “From the darkness lead me to the light,” what he is really 
saying is: “From death lead me to immortality,” in other words, “Make me immor- 
tal.” In the statement, “From death lead me to immortality,” there is nothing 
obscure. 

He may, further, procure a supply of food for himself by singing the remaining 
lauds. When he is singing them, therefore, he should choose as a reward anything he 
may desire. An Udgatr priest who has this knowledge is able to procure by his 
singing whatever he desires, either for himself or for the patron of the sacrifice. 
Now this is true world conquest. When a man knows that Saman in this way, there 
is no fear of his being left without a world. 


4 In the beginning this world was just a single body ( atman ) shaped like a man. 

He looked around and saw nothing but himself. The first thing he said was, 
“Here I am!” and from that the name “I” came into being. Therefore, even today 
when you call someone, he first says, “It’s I,” and then states whatever other name 
he may have. That first being received the name “man” (purusa ), because ahead 
( purva ) of all this he burnt up (us) all evils. When someone knows this, he burns up 
anyone who may try to get ahead of him. 

2 That first being became afraid; therefore, one becomes afraid when one is 
alone. Then he thought to himself: “Of what should I be afraid, when there is no one 


45 



1.4.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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dtSdTddT | q^T f^r fr^TT fMfcJddWddFT^TTgW 11*11 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.4.7 


but me?” So his fear left him, for what was he going to be afraid of? One is, after 
all, afraid of another. 

3He found no pleasure at all; so one finds no pleasure when one is alone. He 
wanted to have a companion. Now he was as large as a man and a woman in close 
embrace. So he split (pat ) his body into two, giving rise to husband (pati) and wife 
( patni ). Surely this is why Yajnavalkya used to say: “The two of us are like two 
halves of a block.” The space here, therefore, is completely filled by the woman. 

He copulated with her, and from their union human beings were born. 4 She 
then thought to herself: “After begetting me from his own body ( dtman ), how could 
he copulate with me? I know — I’ll hide myself.” So she became a cow. But he be- 
came a bull and again copulated with her. From their union cattle were born. Then 
she became a mare, and he a stallion; she became a female donkey, and he, a male 
donkey. And again he copulated with her, and from their union one-hoofed animals 
were born. Then she became a female goat, and he, a male goat; she became a ewe, 
and he, a ram. And again he copulated with her, and from their union goats and 
sheep were born. In this way he created every male and female pair that exists, 
down to the very ants. 

5 It then occurred to him: “I alone am the creation, for I created all this.” From 
this “creation” came into being. Anyone who knows this prospers in this creation of 
his. 

6 Then he churned like this and, using his hands, produced fire from his mouth 
as from a vagina. As a result the inner sides of both these — the hands and the 
mouth — are without hair, for the inside of the vagina is without hair. “Sacrifice to 
this god. Sacrifice to that god”— people do say these things, but in reality each of 
these gods is his own creation, for he himself is all these gods. From his semen, 
then, he created all that is moist here, which is really Soma. Food and eater — that is 
the extent of this whole world. Food is simply Soma, and the eater is fire. 

This is brahman's supercreation. It is a supercreation because he created the 
gods, who are superior to him, and, being a mortal himself, he created the immor- 
tals. Anyone who knows this stands within this supercreation of his. 

7 At that time this world was without real distinctions; it was distinguished sim- 
ply in terms of name and visible appearance — “He is so and so by name and has this 
sort of an appearance.” So even today this world is distinguished simply interms of 
name and visible appearance, as when we say, “He is so and so by name and has 
this sort of an appearance.” 

Penetrating this body up to the very nailtips, he remains there like a razor 
within a case or a termite within a termite-hill. People do not see him, for he is in- 
complete as he comes to be called breath when he is breathing, speech when he is 
speaking, sight when he is seeing, hearing when he is hearing, and mind when he is 
thinking. These are only the names of his various activities. A man who considers 
him to be any one of these does not understand him, for he is incomplete within any 
one of these. One should consider them as simply his self (dtman), for in it all these 
become one. This same self (dtman) is the trail to this entire world, for by following 


47 



The Early Upanisads 

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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.4.14 


it one comes to know this entire world, just as by following their tracks one finds 
[the cattle]. Whoever knows this finds fame and glory. 

8 This innermost thing, this self ( atman ) — it is dearer than a son, it is dearer 
than wealth, it is dearer than everything else. If a man claims that something other 
than his self is dear to him, and someone were to tell him that he will lose what he 
holds dear, that is liable to happen. So a man should regard only his self as dear to 
him. When a man regards only his self as dear to him, what he holds dear will never 
perish. 


9 Now, the question is raised: “Since people think that they will become the Whole 
by knowing brahman, what did brahman know that enabled it to become the 
Whole?” 

10 In the beginning this world was only brahman, and it knew only itself 
{atman), thinking: “I am brahman As a result, it became the Whole. Among the 
gods, likewise, whosoever realized this, only they became the Whole. It was the 
same also among the seers and among humans. Upon seeing this very point, the seer 
Vamadeva proclaimed: “I was Manu, and I was the sun.” This is true even now. If a 
man knows “I am brahman ” in this way, he becomes this whole world. Not even the 
gods are able to prevent it, for he becomes their very self (atman). So when a man 
venerates another deity, thinking, “He is one, and I am another,” he does not under- 
stand. As livestock is for men, so is he for the gods. As having a lot of livestock is 
useful to a man, so each man proves useful to the gods. The loss of even a single 
head of livestock is painful; how much more if many are lost. The gods, therefore, 
are not pleased at the prospect of men coming to understand this. 


1 1 In the beginning this world was only brahman, only one. Because it was only one, 
brahman had not fully developed. It then created the ruling power, a form superior 
to and surpassing itself, that is, the ruling powers among the gods — Indra, Varuna, 
Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrtyu, and Isana. Hence there is nothing higher than 
the ruling power. Accordingly, at a royal anointing a Brahmin pays homage to a 
Ksatriya by prostrating himself. He extends this honor only to the ruling power. 
Now, the priestly power ( brahman ) is the womb of the ruling power. Therefore, 
even if a king should rise to the summit of power, it is to the priestly power that he 
returns in the end as to his own womb. So, one who hurts the latter harms his own 
womb and becomes so much the worse for harming someone better than him. 

12 Brahman still did not become fully developed. So it created the Vaisya class, 
that is, the types of gods who are listed in groups — Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, All- 
gods, and Maruts. 

13 It still did not become fully developed. So it created the Sudra class, that is, 
Pusan. Now, Pusan is this very earth, for it nourishes this whole world, it nourishes 
all that exists. 

!4 It still did not become fully developed. So it created the Law ( dharma ), a 
form superior to and surpassing itself. And the Law is here the ruling power stand- 
ing above the ruling power. Hence there is nothing higher than the Law. Therefore, 


49 



1.4.14 


The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisacl 


1.4.17 


a weaker man makes demands of a stronger man by appealing to the Law, just as 
one does by appealing to a king. Now, the Law is nothing but the truth. Therefore, 
when a man speaks the truth, people say that he speaks the Law; and when a man 
speaks the Law, people say that he speaks the truth. They are really the same thing. 

15 So there came to be the priestly power, the ruling power, the Vaisya class, 
and the Sudra class. Among the gods the priestly power ( brahman ) came into being 
only in the form of fire, and among humans as a Brahmin; it further became a 
Ksatriya in the form of a Ksatriya, a Vaisya in the form of a Vaisya, and a Sudra in 
the form of a Sudra. In the fire, therefore, people seek to find a world for themselves 
among the gods, and in the Brahmin a world among humans, for brahman came 
into being in these two forms. 


If someone were to depart from this world without perceiving his own world, it will 
be of no use to him as it remains unknown to him, just like the Veda that is not re- 
cited or a rite that is left undone. If a man who does not know this performs even a 
grand and holy rite, it is sure to fade away after his death. It is his self ( atman ) alone 
that a man should venerate as his world. And if someone venerates his self alone as 
his world, that rite of his will never fade away, because from his very self he will 
produce whatever he desires. 

l 6 Now, this self {atman) is a world for all beings. So, when he makes offerings 
and sacrifices, he becomes thereby a world for the gods. When he recites the Vedas, 
he becomes thereby a world for the seers. When he offers libations to his ancestors 
and seeks to father offspring, he becomes thereby a world for his ancestors. When 
he provides food and shelter to human beings, he becomes thereby a world for hu- 
man beings. When he procures fodder and water for livestock, he becomes thereby a 
world for livestock. When creatures, from wild animals and birds down to the very 
ants, find shelter in his houses, he becomes thereby a world for them. Just as a man 
desires the well-being of his own world, so all beings desire the well-being of any- 
one who knows this. All this is known and has been thoroughly examined. 


17 In the beginning this world was only the self {atman), only one. He had this de- 
sire: “I wish I had a wife so I could father offspring. I wish I had wealth so I could 
perform rites.” That is the full extent of desire; one does not get anything more, 
even if one desires it. So even today when one is single, one has the desire: “I wish I 
had a wife so I could father offspring. I wish I had wealth so I could perform rites.” 
As long as someone has not obtained either of these, he considers himself to be ut- 
terly incomplete. Now, this is his completeness — his mind is himself {atman)\ his 
speech is his wife; his breath is his offspring; his sight is his human wealth, for peo- 
ple find wealth with their sight, while his hearing is his divine wealth, for people 
hear it with their hearing; and his body {atman) is his rites, for one performs rites 
with one’s body. This is the fivefold sacrifice — the sacrificial animal is fivefold, the 
human being is fivefold, and this whole world, whatever there is, is fivefold. Any- 
one who knows this obtains this whole world. 


51 












Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.5.3 


[T Now there are these verses: 

By wisdom and by toil, 
when the father produced 
the seven kinds of food — 

One was common to all here. 

Two he assigned to the gods. 
Three he kept for himself. 

One he gave to the beasts. 

All beings depend on it, 
both those that breathe 
and those that do not. 

Why aren’t they exhausted, 
when they are eaten every day? 
The man who knows it 
as the inexhaustible — 

he eats food with his face; 
he reaches the gods; 
he lives on invigorating food. 


2 “By wisdom and by toil when the father produced the seven kinds of food” — for it 
is through wisdom and toil that the father produced them. “One was common to all 
here” — the food of his that is common to all is what people here eat, and a man who 
venerates it does not get rid of evil, because it is a mixed food. “Two he assigned to 
the gods” — they are the burnt offerings and the nonburnt offerings. That is why 
people offer burnt and nonburnt offerings to the gods. Others, however, say that 
they are the new-moon and the full-moon sacrifices. Therefore, one should not offer 
sacrifices endlessly. “One he gave to the beasts” — this refers to milk, for in their 
infancy both animals and men live solely on milk. As soon as a child is born, there- 
fore, they make it lick some ghee or suckle at the breast. So people call a new-born 
calf a “non-grass-eater.” “All beings depend on it, both those that breathe and those 
that do not” — on milk, indeed, do all beings depend, both those that breathe and 
those that do not. Now, there are people who claim: “Anyone who offersoblations 
of milk for a full year averts repeated death.” One should not believe that, for a man 
in possession of this knowledge averts repeated death on the very day itself that he 
offers such an oblation, because he thereby offers the whole world as a supply of 
food to the gods. “Why don’t they decrease, when they are eaten every day?” — the 
inexhaustible is clearly the Person, for he is constantly generating this food. “The 
man who knows it as the inexhaustible” — the inexhaustible is clearly the Person, for 
he generates this food by constant attention and by means of rites. If he stops doing 
it, the food is sure to be exhausted. “He eats food with his face” — “face” here means 
the mouth. “He reaches the gods; he lives on invigorating food” — this is a eulogy. 

3 “Three he kept for himself’ — mind, speech, and breath; these he kept for him- 
self (at man). We say: “I didn’t see; my mind was elsewhere. I didn’t hear; my mind 
was elsewhere.” For it is through the mind that one sees and hears. Desire, decision, 


53 



1 . 5.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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54 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.5.15 


doubt, faith and lack of faith, steadfastness and lack of steadfastness, shame, reflec- 
tion, and fear — all these are simply the mind. Therefore, even when someone 
touches us on the back, we perceive it through the mind. Every sound that exists is 
simply speech, for the former is fixed up to its limit (on the latter), whereas the lat- 
ter is not. Out-breath, in-breath, inter-breath, up-breath, link-breath — as forms of 
breathing, they are all simply breath. These are what constitute this self ( atman ) — it 
consists of speech, it consists of mind, and it consists of breath. 

4 The three worlds are also these — this world is speech; the middle world is the 
mind; and the world above is breath. 

5 The three Vedas are also these — the Rgveda is speech; the Yajurveda is the 
mind; and the Samaveda is breath. 

6 The gods, ancestors, and humans are also these — the gods are speech; the an- 
cestors are the mind; and humans are breath. 

7 The father, the mother, and the child are also these— the father is the mind; the 
mother is speech; and the child is breath. 

8 What one knows, what one seeks to know, and what one does not know are 
also these. Whatever someone knows is a form of speech, for speech is what he 
knows. By becoming that, speech helps him. 9 Whatever someone seeks to know is 
a form of the mind, for the mind is what he seeks to know. By becoming that, the 
mind helps him. 10 Whatever someone does not know is a form of breath, for breath 
is what he does not know. By becoming that, breath helps him. 

1 1 The earth is the body of speech, and this fire here below is its luminous ap- 
pearance. So, the extent of the earth and of this fire is the same as the extent of 
speech. 

12 The sky is the body of the mind, and that sun up there is its luminous appear- 
ance. So, the extent of the sky and of that sun is the same as the extent of the mind. 
This pair copulated, and from their union was born breath, which is Indra. And he is 
without rival, for there has to be another to have a rival. Whoever knows this will 
have no rival. 

13 The waters are the body of breath, and that moon up there is its luminous ap- 
pearance. So, the extent of the waters and of that moon is the same as the extent of 
breath. 

Now, all these are of equal extent, all are without limit. So those who venerate 
them as finite win only a limited world, whereas those who venerate them as infinite 
win a world without limit. 


* 4 Prajapati is the year, and he is composed of sixteen parts. Fifteen of his parts are 
the nights, while his sixteenth part is constant. With each passing night he waxes 
and wanes. With that sixteenth part of his he enters, on the night of the new moon, 
all beings that sustain life and is born again the next morning. In honor of that di- 
vinity, therefore, on that night a man should not take the life of any being that 
sustains life, not even that of a lizard. 

15 A man who knows this is himself the year, and he is Prajapati composed of 
sixteen parts. His fifteen parts consist merely of his wealth, while his sixteenth part 


55 



1 . 5.15 


The Early Upanisads 















Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


1.5.21 


is his body ( dtrnan ). Only in his wealth does he wax and wane. His body is the 
wheel-head, while his wealth is the wheel-plate. So, even though a man may have 
been plundered of everything he has, if he remains alive with his body ( atman ) in- 
tact, people say: “He got away with just the wheel-plate!” 

16 Now, there are only three worlds: the world of men, the world of ancestors, 
and the world of gods. One can win this world of men only through a son, and by no 
other rite, whereas one wins the world of ancestors through rites, and the world of 
gods through knowledge. The best of these, clearly, is the world of gods, and for 
this reason they praise knowledge. 

17 Next, the rite of transfer. When a man thinks that he is about to die, he tells his 
son: “You are the brahman ! You are the sacrifice! You are the world!” The son 
replies: “I am the brahman\ I am the sacrifice! I am the world!” All the vedic 
learning that has been acquired is subsumed under “brahman” 4 , all the sacrifices are 
subsumed under “sacrifice”; and all the worlds are subsumed under “world.” That is 
the full extent of this whole universe — “By becoming the Whole, may he assist me 
from here.” Therefore, they say that an educated son opens up the world, and for 
this reason people educate their sons. When a man who knows this departs from this 
world, he enters his son with these very vital functions (prana ). And if there is 
anything he may have done wrong, his son delivers him from all that. That is why 
he is called “son.” So it is only through a son that a man finds a secure footing in 
this world. 

Thereupon, these divine and immortal vital functions (prana ) enter him. 

1 8 From the earth and fire divine speech enters him. Divine speech is that which 
makes whatever one says happen. l9 From the sky and the sun the divine mind en- 
ters him. The divine mind is that which makes a person always happy and never 
sorrowful. 20 From the waters and the moon the divine breath enters him. The divine 
breath is that which never falters or fails, whether it is moving or is at rest. 

Now, a man who knows this becomes the self (atman) of all beings; he be- 
comes just like this divine breath. All beings are sure to shower a man who knows 
this with gifts, just as they shower this divine breath with gifts. Whatever grief may 
afflict these creatures, it remains limited to them. Only what is good goes to him, 
for it is impossible that anything bad should go to the gods. 

21 Next, an examination of the observances. Prajapati created the vital functions 
(prana). Once they were created, they began to compete with each other. Speech 
threw out the challenge: “I’m going to speak!” Sight shot back: “I’m going to see!” 
and hearing: “I’m going to hear!” The other vital functions bragged likewise, each 
according to its function. Taking the form of weariness, death took hold of them; it 
captured and shackled them. That is why speech becomes weary, as do sight and 
hearing. The central breath alone, however, death could not capture. So they sought 
to know him, thinking: “He is clearly the best among us; whether he is moving or at 
rest, he never falters or fails. Come, let us all become forms of him!” So they all 
became merely forms of him. Therefore, they are called “breaths” (prana) after him. 


57 











Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2 . 1.1 


For this very reason, a family is called after a man in that family who has this 
knowledge. So, anyone who competes with a man with this knowledge withers 
away. Yes, he withers away and dies in the end. 

That was with respect to the body ( atman ). 22 What follows is with respect to 
the divine sphere. 

Fire threw out the challenge: “I’m going to blaze!” The sun shot back: Tm 
going to glow!” and the moon: Tm going to shine!” The other deities bragged 
likewise, each according to its divine function. The wind holds the same position 
among the deities as the central breath does among the vital functions, for the other 
deities disappear, but not the wind. The wind is the only deity that does not set. 

22 Now there is this verse: 

From which the sun rises. 

And into which it sets; 

For it does rise from breath, and into breath it sets. 

The gods made it the Law, 

It’s the same today and tomorrow. 

What these deities sought to do of old, they continue to do even today. There- 
fore, a man should undertake a single observance — he should breathe in and breathe 
out with the thought “May evil death not capture me.” And if someone undertakes 
it, let him resolve to pursue it to the end. By doing that he will win union with and 
the same world as this deity. 

6 Clearly, this world is a triple reality: name, visible appearance, and action. 

Speech is the Uktha among names, because all names arise from it. It is the 
Saman among them, because it is the same as all the names. It is brahman among 
them, because it bears all the names. 

2 Sight is the Uktha among visible appearances, because all visible appearances 
arise from it. It is the Saman among them, because it is the same as all visible ap- 
pearances. It is brahman among them, because it bears all visible appearances. 

3 The body {atman) is the Uktha among actions, because all actions arise from 
it. It is the Saman among them, because it is the same as all actions. It is brahman 
among them, because it bears all actions. 

While this is a triple reality, yet it is one — it is this self {atman). While the self 
is one, yet it is this triple reality. Now the immortal here is veiled by the real. 
Clearly, the immortal is breath, while the real is name and visible appearance; the 
breath here is veiled by these two. 


ADHYAYA 2 


1 There was once a learned Gargya named Drpta-Balaki. He said to Ajatasatru, 
the king of Kasi: “Let me tell you a formulation of truth {brahman).'" Ajata- 


59 



2 . 1.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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60 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2 . 1.10 


satru replied: “We’ll give you a thousand cows for such a speech! People are sure to 
rush here, crying, ‘Here's a Janaka! Here's a Janaka!’” 

2 Gargya then said: “It is the person up there in the sun that I venerate as brah- 
man." Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate 
him only as the most eminent of all beings, as their head and king. Anyone who 
venerates him this way will become the most eminent of all beings, he will become 
their head and king.” 

3 Gargya then said: “It is the person up there in the moon that I venerate as 
brahman." Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I vener- 
ate him only as Soma, the great king dressed in white. Anyone who venerates him 
this way will have Soma pressed for him every day, and his food will never de- 
crease.” 

4 Gargya then said: “It is the person up there in lightning that I venerate as 
brahman." Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I vener- 
ate him only as the radiant one. Anyone who venerates him this way will become 
radiant, and he will have radiant children.” 

5 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in space that I venerate as brahman." 
Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate him only 
as the full and nondepleting ( apravrt ) one. Anyone who venerates him this way will 
be filled with children and livestock, and his children will not pass away ( udvrt ) 
from this world.” 

6 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in the wind that I venerate as brah- 
man .” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate 
him only as Indra Vaikuntha, the invincible weapon. Anyone who venerates him 
this way will become victorious and invincible, and he will triumph over his adver- 
saries.” 

7 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in the fire that I venerate as brahman." 
Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate him only 
as the irresistible one. Anyone who venerates him this way will become irresistible, 
and so will his children.” 

8 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in the waters that I venerate as brah- 
man." Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate 
him only as a resemblance. Anyone who venerates him this way will obtain only 
what resembles him and not what does not resemble him; and one who resembles 
him will be born from him.” 

9 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in a mirror that I venerate as brah- 
man." Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate 
him only as the shining one. Anyone who venerates him this way will shine, his 
children will shine, and he will outshine everyone he meets.” 

10 Gargya then said: “It is the sound drifting behind a man as he walks that I 
venerate as brahman .” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about 
him! I venerate him only as life. Anyone who venerates him this way will live his 
full life span in this world, and his lifebreath will not leave him before the appointed 
time.” 


61 
















Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2.1.20 


l l Gargya then said: “It is the person here in the quarters that I venerate as brah- 
man .” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I venerate 
him only as the inseparable companion. Anyone who venerates him this way will 
always have a companion, and he will never be cut off from his entourage.” 

12 Gargya then said: “It is the person here consisting of shadow that I venerate 
as brahman .” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I 
venerate him only as death. Anyone who venerates him this way will live a full life 
in this world, and death will not approach him before the appointed time.” 

l3 Gargya then said: “It is the person here in the body ( atman ) that I venerate as 
brahman.” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t start a discussion with me about him! I 
venerate him only as the one possessing a body. Anyone who venerates him this 
way will come to possess a body, and so will his children.” Thereupon, Gargya fell 
silent. 

14 “Is that all?” asked Ajatasatru. 

“That’s all.” 

“It isn’t known with just that.” 

“Let me come to you as your pupil,” said Gargya. 

15 Ajatasatru replied: “Isn’t it a reversal of the norm for a Brahmin to become 
the pupil of a Ksatriya, thinking, ‘He will tell me the formulation of truth (brah- 
man)'! But I’ll see to it that you perceive it clearly.” Taking Gargya by the hand, he 
got up, and the two went near a sleeping man. He greeted that man in these words: 
“O Soma, great king dressed in white!” But he did not get up. Ajatasatru touched 
him with his hand and woke him up. Then the man got up. 

16 Ajatasatru asked: “When this man was asleep here, where was the person 
consisting of perception? And from where did he return?” Gargya did not know the 
answer. 

17 Ajatasatru told him: “When this man was asleep here, the person consisting 
of perception, having gathered the cognitive power of these vital functions (prana ) 
into his own cognitive power, was resting in the space within the heart. When that 
person takes hold of them, then the man is said to be asleep. During that time the 
breath remains in the grasp of that person, as do speech, sight, hearing, and mind. 
1 8 Wherever he may travel in his dream, those regions become his worlds. He may 
appear to become a great king or an eminent Brahmin, or to visit the highest and the 
lowest regions. Just as a great king, taking his people with him, may move around 
in his domain at will, so he, taking the vital functions here with him, moves around 
his body at will. 

19 “When a man is in deep dreamless sleep, on the other hand, and is not aware 
of anything at all, this is what happens. There are seventy-two thousand veins 
named Hita that run from the heart to the pericardium. He slips out of the heart 
through these veins and rests within the pericardium. He rests there oblivious to 
everything, just as a young man, a great king, or an eminent Brahmin remains 
oblivious to everything at the height of sexual bliss. 

20 “As a spider sends forth its thread, and as tiny sparks spring forth from a fire, 
so indeed do all the vital functions (prana), all the worlds, all the gods, and all be- 
ings spring from this self (atman). Its hidden name (upanisad) is ‘The real behind 


63 









Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2 . 3.2 


the real,’ for the real consists of the vital functions, and the self is the real behind 
the vital functions.” 

2 A man who knows the youngling together with its placement and counter- 
placement, its post and rope, will undoubtedly hold off the seven rivals who 
hate him. That youngling, indeed, is one’s central breath. Its placement is this; its 
counterplacement is this; its post is the breath; and its rope is food. 

2 These seven who do not decrease stand by him. Rudra attaches himself to him 
by means of the red streaks in the eye; rain, by means of the tears in the eye; sun, by 
means of the pupil; fire, by means of the iris; Indra, by means of the white; earth, by 
means of the lower eyelashes; and sky, by means of the upper eyelashes. When a 
man knows this, his food will never decrease. 

3 In this connection there is this verse: 

There is a cup turned upside down; 
its mouth at the bottom, 
its bottom on top. 

In it is placed dazzling splendor; 

On its rim the seven seers sit, 
as also an eighth — 
speech joined to brahman. 

“There is a bowl turned upside down, its mouth at the bottom, its bottom on top” — 
the head here is indeed the “bowl turned upside down, its mouth at the bottom, its 
bottom on top.” “In it is placed dazzling splendor” — “dazzling splendor” is no 
doubt the vital functions {prana ); so this statement must refer to the vital functions. 
“On its rim the seven seers sit” — the seers are no doubt the vital functions; so this 
statement must refer to the vital functions. “As also an eighth — speech joined to 
brahman ” — the eighth is speech, and it joins itself to brahman. 

4 Gotama and Bharadvaja are really these two [ears] — Gotama is this [right] 
one, and Bharadvaja is this [left] one. Visvamitra and Jamadagni are really these 
two [eyes] — Visvamitra is this [right] one, and Jamadagni is this [left] one. Vasistha 
and Kasyapa are really these two [nostrils] — Vasistha is this [right] one and 
Kasyapa is this [left] one. Atri is really speech, for one eats ( atti ) with speech. So 
Atri is really the same as “eating” (atti). When a man knows this, he becomes the 
eater of this whole world, and the whole world here becomes his food. 

3 There are, indeed, two visible appearances ( rupa ) of brahman — the one has a 
fixed shape, and the other is without a fixed shape; the one is mortal, and the 
other is immortal; the one is stationary, and the other is in motion; the one is Sat, 
and the other is Tyam. 

2 The one with a fixed shape consists of everything other than air and the inter- 
mediate region; it is mortal and stationary; and it is Sat. That which gives warmth is 
the essence of the one that has a fixed shape, that is mortal and stationary, and that 
is Sat — for it is the essence of Sat. 


65 












Brhaclaranyaka Upanisad 


2.4.5 


3 The one without a fixed shape, on the other hand, consists of air and the in- 
termediate region; it is immortal and in motion; and it is Tyam. The person within 
the sun’s orb is the essence of the one that is without a fixed shape, that is immortal 
and in motion, and that is Tyam — for he is the essence of Tyam. 

That was with reference to the divine sphere. 4 The following is with reference 
to the body ( atmari ). 

The one with a fixed shape is this body itself insofar as it is distinct from breath 
and the space within the body; it is mortal and stationary; and it is Sat. The eye is 
the essence of the one that has a fixed shape, that is mortal and stationary, and that 
is Sat — for it is the essence of Sat. 

5 The one without a fixed shape, on the other hand, consists of breath and the 
space within the body; it is immortal and in motion; and it is Tyam. The person 
within the right eye is the essence of the one that is without a fixed shape, that is 
immortal and in motion, and that is Tyam — for he is the essence of Tyam. 

6 Now, the visible appearance of this person is like a golden cloth, or white 
wool, or a red bug, or a flame, or a white lotus, or a sudden flash of lightning. And 
when a man knows this, his splendor unfolds like a sudden flash of lightning. 

Here, then, is the rule of substitution: “not — , not — for there is nothing be- 
yond this “not.” And this is the name — “the real behind the real,” for the real 
consists of the vital functions, and he is the real behind the vital functions. 

4 “Maitreyl!” Yajnavalkya once said. “Look — I am about to depart from this 
place. So come, let me make a settlement between you and Katyayanl.” 

2 Maitreyl asked in reply: “If I were to possess the entire world filled with 
wealth, sir, would it make me immortal?” “No,” said Yajnavalkya, “it will only 
permit you to live the life of a wealthy person. Through wealth one cannot expect 
immortality.” 

3 “What is the point in getting something that will not make me immortal?” re- 
torted Maitreyl. “Tell me instead, sir, all that you know.” 

4 Yajnavalkya said in reply: “You have always been very dear to me, and now 
you speak something very dear to me! Come and sit down. I will explain it to you. 
But while I am explaining, try to concentrate.” 5 Then he spoke: 

“One holds a husband dear, you see, not out of love for the husband; rather, it is 
out of love for oneself {atmari) that one holds a husband dear. One holds a wife dear 
not out of love for the wife; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds a wife 
dear. One holds children dear not out of love for the children; rather, it is out of love 
for oneself that one holds children dear. One holds wealth dear not out of love for 
wealth; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds wealth dear. One holds the 
priestly power dear not out of love for the priestly power; rather, it is out of love for 
oneself that one holds the priestly power dear. One holds the royal power dear not 
out of love for the royal power; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the 
royal power dear. One holds the worlds dear not out of love for the worlds; rather, it 
is out of love for oneself that one holds the worlds dear. One holds the gods dear not 
out of love for the gods; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the gods 
dear. One holds beings dear not out of love for beings; rather, it is out of love for 


67 














Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2.4.14 


oneself that one holds beings dear. One holds the Whole dear not out of love for the 
Whole; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the Whole dear. 

“You see, Maitreyl — it is one’s self ( atman ) which one should see and hear, 
and on which one should reflect and concentrate. For by seeing and hearing one’s 
self, and by reflecting and concentrating on one’s self, one gains the knowledge of 
this whole world. 

6 “May the priestly power forsake anyone who considers the priestly power to 
reside in something other than his self (atman). May the royal power forsake any- 
one who considers the royal power to reside in something other than his self. May 
the gods forsake anyone who considers the gods to reside in something other than 
his self. May beings forsake anyone who considers beings to reside in something 
other than his self. May the Whole forsake anyone who considers the Whole to re- 
side in something other than his self. 

“All these — the priestly power, the royal power, worlds, gods, beings, the 
Whole — all that is nothing but this self. 

7 “It is like this. When a drum is being beaten, you cannot catch the external 
sounds; you catch them only by getting hold of the drum or the man beating that 
drum. 8 Or when a conch is being blown, you cannot catch the external sounds; you 
catch them only by getting hold of the conch or the man blowing that conch. 9 Or 
when a lute is being played, you cannot catch the external sounds; you catch them 
only by getting hold of the lute or the man playing that lute. 

10 “It is like this. As clouds of smoke billow from a fire lit with damp fuel, so 
indeed the Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, the Atharva-Angirasa, histories, ancient 
tales, sciences, hidden teachings (upanisad), verses, aphorisms, explanations, and 
glosses — all these are the exhalation of this Immense Being. And they are the inha- 
lation of that very Being. 

1 1 “It is like this. As the ocean is the point of convergence of all the waters, so 
the skin is the point of convergence of all sensations of touch; the nostrils, of all 
odors; the tongue, of all tastes; sight, of all visible appearances; hearing, of all 
sounds; the mind, of all thoughts; the heart, of all sciences; the hands, of all activi- 
ties; the sexual organ, of all pleasures; the anus, of all excretions; the feet, of all 
travels; and speech, of all the Vedas. 

12 “It is like this. When a chunk of salt is thrown in water, it dissolves into that 
very water, and it cannot be picked up in any way. Yet, from whichever place one 
may take a sip, the salt is there! In the same way this Immense Being has no limit or 
boundary and is a single mass of perception. It arises out of and together with these 
beings and disappears after them — so I say, after death there is no awareness.” 

After Yajnavalkya said this, 13 MaitreyI exclaimed: “Now, sir, you have totally 
confused me by saying, ‘after death there is no awareness.’ ” He replied: 

“Look, I haven’t said anything confusing; this body, you see, has the capacity 
to perceive. 14 For when there is a duality of some kind, then the one can smell the 
other, the one can see the other, the one can hear the other, the one can greet the 
other, the one can think of the other, and the one can perceive the other. When, 
however, the Whole has become one’s very self (atman), then who is there for one 
to smell and by what means? Who is there for one to see and by what means? Who 


69 



The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2.5.10 


is there for one to hear and by what means? Who is there for one to greet and by 
what means? Who is there for one to think of and by what means? Who is there for 
one to perceive and by what means? 

“By what means can one perceive him by means of whom one perceives this 
whole world? Look — by what means can one perceive the perceiver?” 


5 This earth is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this earth. 

The radiant and immortal person in the earth and, in the case of the body 
(i atman ), the radiant and immortal person residing in the physical body — they are 
both one’s self (atman). It is the immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

2 These waters are the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of these 
waters. The radiant and immortal person in the waters and, in the case of the body, 
the radiant and immortal person residing in semen — they are both one’s self. It is 
the immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

3 This fire is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this fire. 
The radiant and immortal person in the fire and, in the case of the body, the radiant 
and immortal person residing in speech — they are both one’s self. It is the immortal; 
it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

4 This wind is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this wind. 
The radiant and immortal person in the wind and, in the case of the body, the radi- 
ant and immortal person residing in breath — they are both one’s self. It is the 
immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

5 This sun is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this sun. 
The radiant and immortal person in the sun and, in the case of the body, the radiant 
and immortal person residing in sight — they are both one’s self. It is the immortal; it 
is brahman, it is the Whole. 

6 These quarters are the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of 
these quarters. The radiant and immortal person in the quarters and, in the case of 
the body, the radiant and immortal person residing in hearing — they are both one’s 
self. It is the immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

7 This moon is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
moon. The radiant and immortal person in the moon and, in the case of the body, 
the radiant and immortal person residing in the mind — they are both one’s self. It is 
the immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

8 This lightning is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
lightning. The radiant and immortal person in lightning and, in the case of the body, 
the radiant and immortal person full of radiance — they are both one’s self. It is the 
immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

9 This thunder is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
thunder. The radiant and immortal person in thunder and, in the case of the body, 
the radiant and immortal person connected with sound and tone — they are both 
one’s self. It is the immortal; it is brahman, it is the Whole. 

10 This space is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
space. The radiant and immortal person in space and, in the case of the body, the 


71 



2 . 5.10 


The Early Upanisads 


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72 


Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


2.5.19 


radiant and immortal person residing in the space within the heart — they are both 
one’s self. It is the immortal; it is brahman ; it is the Whole. 

1 1 This Law ( dhamia ) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of 
this Law. The radiant and immortal person in the Law and, in the case of the body, 
the radiant and immortal person devoted to the Law — they are both one’s self. It is 
the immortal; it is brahman ; it is the Whole. 

12 This Truth is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
Truth. The radiant and immortal person in Truth and, in the case of the body, the 
radiant and immortal person devoted to Truth — they are both one’s self. It is the 
immortal; it is brahman; it is the Whole. 

13 This humanity is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this 
humanity. The radiant and immortal person in humanity and, in the case of the 
body, the radiant and immortal person existing as a human — they are both one’s 
self. It is the immortal; it is brahman ; it is the Whole. 

l 4 This self ( atman ) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of 
this self. The radiant and immortal person in the self and the radiant and immortal 
person connected with the body (atman) — they are both one’s self. It is the immor- 
tal; it is brahman; it is the Whole. 

15 This very self (atman) is the lord and king of all beings. As all the spokes are 
fastened to the hub and the rim of a wheel, so to one’s self (atman) are fastened all 
beings, all the gods, all the worlds, all the breaths, and all these bodies (atman). 

16 This is the same honey as Dadhyanc Atharvana communicated to the Asvins. 
Seeing this, the seer declared: 

As thunder discloses the rain, O Heroes, 

I disclose that wonderful skill you displayed for gain; 

When Dadhyanc Atharvana revealed the honey, 

Through the horse’s head to you. 

17 This is the same honey as Dadhyanc Atharvana communicated to the Asvins. 
Seeing this, a seer declared: 

You fixed a horse’s head, O Asvins, 

On Dadhyanc Atharvana; 

True to his word, O mighty ones, 

He revealed to you Tvastr’s honey, 

That remains a secret with you. 

18 This is the same honey as Dadhyanc Atharvana communicated to the Asvins. 
Seeing this, a seer declared: 

He made a fort with two feet; 

He made a fort with four feet. 

He became a bird and entered the fort; 

The Person has entered the fort. 

This very Person (purusa) is the fort-dweller (purisaya ) in all the forts. There is 
nothing that is not sheltered by him; there is nothing that is not secured by him. 

19 This is the same honey as Dadhyanc Atharvana communicated to the Asvins. 
Seeing this, a seer declared: 


73 



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c\ 




Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3 . 1.1 


Of every form of every being, 
the likeness he has assumed; 
every form seeks to reveal him. 

His steeds are yoked, all ten hundred; 

Indra by his wizardry travels in many forms. 

He alone is the steeds; he is the ten thousand, the many, the innumerable. This 
brahman is without a before and an after, without an inner and an outer. Brahman is 
this self ( atman ) here which perceives everything. That is the teaching. 

6 Now the lineage; 

Pautimasya from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Pautimasya; Pautimasya 
from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Kausika; Kausika from Kaundinya; Kaundinya 
from Sandilya; Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama; Gautama 2 from Agnivesya; 
Agnivesya from Sandilya and Anabhimlata; Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata; 
Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata; Anabhimlata from Gautama; Gautama from Sai- 
tava and Praclnayogya; Saitava and Praclnayogya from Parasarya; Parasarya from 
Bharadvaja; Bharadvaja from Bharadvaja and Gautama; Gautama from Bharadvaja; 
Bharadvaja from Parasarya; Parasarya from Vaijavapayana; Vaijavapayana from 
Kausikayani; Kausikayani 3 from Ghrtakausika; Ghrtakausika from Parasaryayana; 
Parasaryayana from Parasarya; Parasarya from Jatukarnya; Jatukarnya from 
Asurayana and Yaska; Asurayana from Traivani; Traivani from Aupajandhani; Au- 
pajandhani from Asuri; Asuri from Bharadvaja; Bharadvaja from Atreya; Atreya 
from Manti; Manti from Gautama; Gautama from Gautama; Gautama from Vatsya; 
Vatsya from Sandilya; Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya; Kaisorya Kapya from 
Kumaraharita; Kumaraharita from Galava; Galava from Vidarbhikaundinya; Vi- 
darbhlkaundinya from Vatsanapad Babhrava; Vatsanapad Babhrava from Panthah 
Saubhara; Panthah Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa; Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti 
Tvastra; Abhuti Tvastra from Visvarupa Tvastra; Visvarupa Tvastra from the two 
Asvins; the two Asvins from Dadhyanc Atharvana; Dadhyanc Atharvana from 
Atharvan Daiva; Atharvan Daiva from Mrtyu Pradhvamsana; Mrtyu Pradhvamsana 
from Pradhvamsana; Pradhvamsana from Eka Rsi; Eka Rsi from Vipracitti; 
Vipracitti from Vyasti; Vyasti from Sanaru; Sanaru from Sanatana; Sanatana from 
Sanaga; Sanaga from Paramesthin; and Paramesthin from Brahman. Brahman is 
self-existent. Homage to Brahman! 


ADHYAYA 3 


I Janaka, the king of Videha, once set out to perform a sacrifice at which he in- 
tended to give lavish gifts to the officiating priests. Brahmins from the Kuru 
and Pancala regions had flocked there for the occasion, and Janaka of Videha 
wanted to find out which of those Brahmins was the most learned in the Vedas. 


75 



3 . 1.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3 . 1.7 


So he corralled a thousand cows; to the horns of each cow were tied ten pieces of 
gold. 

2 He then addressed those Brahmins: “Distinguished Brahmins! Let the most 
learned man among you drive away these cows.” But those Brahmins did not dare. 
So Yajnavalkya called to his pupil: “Samasravas! Son, drive these cows away.” And 
he drove them away. The Brahmins were furious and murmured: “How dare he 
claim to be the most learned?” 

Now, Janaka of Videha had a Hotr priest named Asvala. He asked: “Yajna- 
valkya, do you really think you are the most learned among us?” Yajnavalkya re- 
plied: “We bow humbly to the most learned man! But we are really after the cows, 
aren’t we?” At this the Hotr Asvala became determined to question him. 

3 “Yajnavalkya,” he said, “tell me — when this whole world is caught in the grip 
of death, when it is overwhelmed by death, how can the patron of a sacrifice free 
himself completely from its grip?” Yajnavalkya replied: “By means of the Hotr 
priest — that is, by means of the fire, by means of speech. Clearly, the Hotr priest of 
the sacrifice is speech. So this speech — it is this fire here; it is the Hotr priest; it is 
freedom; and it is complete freedom.” 

4 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — when this whole world is caught 
in the grip of days and nights, when it is overwhelmed by days and nights, how can 
the patron of a sacrifice free himself completely from their grip?” Yajnavalkya re- 
plied: “By means of the Adhvaryu priest — that is, by means of sight, by means of 
the sun. Clearly, the Adhvaryu priest of the sacrifice is sight. So this sight — it is that 
sun up there; it is the Adhvaryu priest; it is freedom; and it is complete freedom.” 

5 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — when this whole world is caught 
in the grip of the fortnights of the waxing and the waning moon, when it is over- 
whelmed by the fortnights of the waxing and the waning moon, how can the patron 
of a sacrifice free himself from their grip?” Yajnavalkya replied: “By means of the 
Udgatr priest — that is, by means of the wind, by means of breath. Clearly, the 
Udgatr priest of the sacrifice is breath. So this breath — it is the wind; it is the Udgatr 
priest; it is freedom; it is complete freedom.” 

6 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — when this intermediate region 
provides no support of any kind, how does the patron of a sacrifice climb up to 
heaven?” Yajnavalkya replied: “By means of the Brahman priest — that is, by means 
of the mind, by means of the moon. Clearly, the Brahman priest of the sacrifice is 
the mind. So this mind — it is that moon up there; it is the Brahman priest; it is free- 
dom; it is complete freedom.” 

These are the types of complete freedom. Next, the equivalents. 

7 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — today at the sacrifice, how many 
verses will the Hotr priest here use?” 

“Three.” 

“What are they?” 

“The verse recited before the offering and the verse that accompanies the of- 
fering. The third is the verse of praise.” 

“What does he win through them?” 

“Whatever supports life in this world.” 


77 













Brhaclaranyaka Upanisad 


3 . 2.5 


8 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — today at the sacrifice, how many 
oblations will the Adhvaryu priest here offer in the fire?” 

“Three.” 

“What are they?” 

“The oblations that flare up when they are offered; those that overflow when 
they are offered; and the ones that lie down when they are offered.” 

“What does he win through them?” 

“What he wins by offering the oblations that flare up is the world of gods, for, 
in a way, that world shines. What he wins by offering the oblations that overflow 
(, ati-nedante ) is the world of ancestors, for, in a way, that world is over above ( ati ). 
And what he wins by offering the oblations that lie down ( adhi-serate ) is the world 
of men, for, in a way, that world is here below ( adha ). 

9 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me— with how many deities will the 
Brahman priest, seated on the southern side, protect the sacrifice today?” Yajna- 
valkya replied: “With one.” 

“Who is it?” 

“The mind itself, for the mind is without limit and the All-gods are without 
limit. Limitless also is the world he wins by it.” 

10 “Yajnavalkya,” Asvala said again, “tell me — today at the sacrifice,how many 
hymns of praise will the Udgatr priest here sing?” Yajnavalkya replied: “Three.” 

“What are they?” 

“The hymn recited before the sacrifice and the hymn that accompanies the sac- 
rifice. The hymn of praise is the third.” 

“What are they with respect to the body ( atman )?” 

“The hymn recited before the sacrifice is just the out-breath; the hymn that ac- 
companies the sacrifice is the in-breath; and the hymn of praise is the inter-breath.” 

“What does he win through them?” 

“He wins the earthly world through the hymn recited before the sacrifice, the 
intermediate world through the hymn that accompanies the sacrifice, and the heav- 
enly world through the hymn of praise.” 

Thereupon, Hotr Asvala fell silent. 


2 Then Jaratkarava Artabhaga began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” he said, 
“tell me — how many graspers are there and how many overgraspers?” 
Yajnavalkya replied: “There are eight graspers and eight overgraspers.” 

“What are the eight graspers? And what are the eight overgraspers?” 

2 “The out-breath is a grasper, which is itself grasped by the in-breath, the over- 
grasper; for one smells odors by means of the in-breath. 

3 “Speech is a grasper, which is itself grasped by word, the overgrasper; for one 
utters words by means of speech. 

4 “The tongue is a grasper, which is itself grasped by flavor, the overgrasper; 
for one tastes flavors by means of the tongue. 

5 “Sight is a grasper, which is itself grasped by visible appearances, the over- 
grasper; for one sees visible appearances by means of sight. 


79 















Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3 . 3.2 


6 “Hearing is a grasper, which is itself grasped by sound, the overgrasper; for 
one hears sounds by means of hearing. 

7 “The mind is a grasper, which is itself grasped by desire, the overgrasper; for 
one entertains desires by means of the mind. 

8 “The hands are graspers, which are themselves grasped by action, the over- 
grasper; for one performs actions by means of the hands. 

9 “The skin is a grasper, which is itself grasped by touch, the overgrasper; for 
one senses various types of touch by means of the skin. 

“These, then, are the eight graspers and the eight overgraspers.” 

10 “Yajnavalkya,” Artabhaga said again, “tell me — since this whole world is 
food for Death, of which deity is Death the food?” Yajnavalkya replied: “Death is 
fire, and it is the food of water. [Whoever knows this] averts repeated death.” 

11 “Yajnavalkya,” Artabhaga said again, “tell me — when a man dies, do his 
breaths depart from him, or do they not?” “They do not,” replied Yajnavalkya. 
“They accumulate within this very body, causing it to swell up and to become 
bloated. So a dead man lies bloated.” 

12 “Yajnavalkya,” Artabhaga said again, “tell me — when a man dies, what is it 
that does not leave him?” “His name,” replied Yajnavalkya. “A name is without 
limit, and the All-gods are without limit. Limitless also is the world he wins by it.” 

13 “Yajnavalkya,” Artabhaga said again, “tell me — when a man has died, and 
his speech disappears into fire, his breath into the wind, his sight into the sun, his 
mind into the moon, his hearing into the quarters, his physical body into the earth, 
his self ( atman ) into space, the hair of his body into plants, the hair of his head into 
trees, and his blood and semen into water — what then happens to that person?” 
Yajnavalkya replied: “My friend, we cannot talk about this in public. Take my 
hand, Artabhaga; let’s go and discuss this in private.” 

So they left and talked about it. And what did they talk about? — they talked 
about nothing but action. And what did they praise? — they praised nothing but ac- 
tion. Yajnavalkya told him: “A man turns into something good by good action and 
into something bad by bad action.” 

Thereupon, Jaratkarava Artabhaga fell silent. 


3 Then Bhujyu Lahyayani began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” he said, “once, 
while we were itinerant students travelling around in the land of the Madras, 
we visited the home of Patancala Kapya. He had a daughter possessed by a Gan- 
dharva. We asked him who he was, and the Gandharva said that he was Sudhanvan 
Angirasa. In the course of asking him about the ends of the worlds, we inquired: 
‘Where in the world are the Pariksitas?’ I put the same question to you, Yajna- 
valkya — where are the Pariksitas?” 

2 Yajnavalkya replied: “He no doubt told you, ‘They have gone to the place 
where those who offer horse sacrifices go.’” 

“But where do those who offer horse sacrifices go?” 

“‘The visible world is as wide as the distance the sun’s chariot travels in thirty- 
two days. The earth is twice as wide as the visible world and surrounds it on all 
sides, while the ocean is twice as wide as the earth and surrounds it on all sides. 


81 











Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.5.1 


Now, there is a gap as fine as a razor’s edge or a gnat’s wing. Taking the form of a 
bird, Indra handed the Pariksitas to the wind. The wind placed them within itself 
and carried them to the place where those who had offered horse sacrifices were.’- — 
What that Gandharva praised in that manner was clearly the wind. Both individual 
things and the totality of all things, therefore, are just the wind. Whosoever knows 
this averts repeated death.” 

Thereupon, Bhujyu Lahyayani fell silent. 


4 Then Usasta Cakrayana began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” he said, 
“explain to me the brahman that is plain and not cryptic, the self ( atman ) that is 
within all.” 

“The self within all is this self of yours.” 

“Which one is the self within all, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Who breathes out with the out-breath — he is the self of yours that is within all. 
Who breathes in with the in-breath — he is the self of yours that is within all. Who 
breathes across with the inter-breath — he is the self of yours that is within all. Who 
breathes up with the up-breath — he is the self of yours that is within all. The self 
within all is this self of yours.” 

2 Usasta Cakrayana retorted: “That’s a fine explanation! It’s like saying ‘This is 
a cow and that is a horse!’ Come on, give me a real explanation of the brahman that 
is plain and not cryptic, of the self that is within all.” 

“The self within all is this self of yours.” 

“Which one is the self within all, Yajnavalkya?” 

“You can’t see the seer who does the seeing; you can’t hear the hearer who 
does the hearing; you can’t think of the thinker who does the thinking; and you 
can’t perceive the perceiver who does the perceiving. The self within all is this self 
of yours. All else besides this is grief!” 

Thereupon, Usasta Cakrayana fell silent. 


5 Then Kahola Kausltakeya began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” he said, “ex- 
plain to me the brahman that is plain and not cryptic, the self that is within all.” 
“The self within all is this self of yours.” 

“Which one is the self within all, Yajnavalkya?” 

“He is the one who is beyond hunger and thirst, sorrow and delusion, old age 
and death. It is when they come to know this self that Brahmins give up the desire 
for sons, the desire for wealth, and the desire for worlds, and undertake the mendi- 
cant life. The desire for sons, after all, is the same as the desire for wealth, and the 
desire for wealth is the same as the desire for worlds — both are simply desires. 
Therefore, a Brahmin should stop being a pandit and try to live like a child. When 
he has stopped living like a child or a pandit, he becomes a sage. And when he has 
stopped living like a sage or the way he was before he became a sage, he becomes a 
Brahmin. He remains just such a Brahmin, no matter how he may live. All besides 
this is grief.” 

Thereupon, Kahola Kausltakeya fell silent. 


83 



3 . 6.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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84 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.7.1 


6 Then GargT Vacaknavl began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” she said, “tell 
me — since this whole world is woven back and forth on water, on what, then, 
is water woven back and forth?” 

“On air, Gargl.” 

“On what, then, is air woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of the intermediate region, Gargl.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the intermediate region woven back and 
forth?” 

“On the worlds of the Gandharvas, Gargl.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the Gandharvas woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of the sun, Gargl.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the sun woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of the moon, GargT.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the moon woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of the stars, GargT.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the stars woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of the gods, Gargl.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of the gods woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of Indra, GargT.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of Indra woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of Prajapati, GargT.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of Prajapati woven back and forth?” 

“On the worlds of brahman, GargT.” 

“On what, then, are the worlds of brahman woven back and forth?” 

At this point Yajnavalkya told her: “Don’t ask too many questions, GargT, or 
your head will shatter apart! You are asking too many questions about a deity about 
whom one should not ask too many questions. So, GargT, don’t ask too many ques- 
tions!” 

Thereupon, GargT Vacaknavl fell silent. 


7 Then Uddalaka Aruni began to question him. “Yajnavalkya,” he said, “once we 
were living in the land of the Madras learning about the sacrifice in the house 
of Patancala Kapya. He had a wife possessed by a Gandharva. We asked him who 
he was, and the Gandharva said that he was Kabandha Atharvana. He then asked 
Patancala Kapya and the students there who were learning about the sacrifice: ‘Tell 
me, Kapya — do you know the string on which this world and the next, as well as all 
beings, are strung together?’ ‘That, my lord, I do not know,’ replied Patancala 
Kapya. He then asked Patancala Kapya and the students there who were learning 
about the sacrifice: ‘Tell me, Kapya — do you know the inner controller of this 
world and the next, as well as of all beings, who controls them from within?’ ‘That, 
my lord, I do not know,’ replied Patancala Kapya. He then told Patancala Kapya 
and the students there who were learning about the sacrifice: ‘Clearly, Kapya, if a 
man knows what that string is and who that inner controller is — he knows brahman', 
he knows the worlds; he knows the gods; he knows the Vedas; he knows the spirits; 
he knows the self; he knows all.’ That’s what he told them. 


85 



3 . 7.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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86 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.7.13 


“And I know it. So, if you drive away the cows meant for the Brahmins, 
Yajnavalkya, without knowing what that string is and who that inner controller is, 
your head will shatter apart!” 

“Gautama, I do know what that string is and who that inner controller is.” 

“Of course, anyone can say, ‘I know! I know!’ Tell us what precisely you 
know.” 

2 Yajnavalkya told him: “Clearly, Gautama, that string is the wind. It is on the 
string of wind, Gautama, that this world and the next, as well as all beings, are 
strung together. That is why people say of a dead man, ‘His bodily parts have come 
unstrung,’ for they are strung together, Gautama, on the string of wind.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. Now tell us who the inner controller is.” 

3 “This self ( dtman ) of yours who is present within but is different from the 
earth, whom the earth does not know, whose body is the earth, and who controls the 
earth from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

4 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the waters, 
whom the waters do not know, whose body is the waters, and who controls the wa- 
ters from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

5 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the fire, whom 
the fire does not know, whose body is the fire, and who controls the fire from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

6 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the intermediate 
region, whom the intermediate region does not know, whose body is the intermedi- 
ate region, and who controls the intermediate region from within — he is the inner 
controller, the immortal. 

7 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the wind, whom 
the wind does not know, whose body is the wind, and who controls the wind from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

8 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the sky, whom 
the sky does not know, whose body is the sky, and who controls the sky from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

9 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the sun, whom 
the sun does not know, whose body is the sun, and who controls the sun from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

10 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the quarters, 
whom the quarters do not know, whose body is the quarters, and who controls the 
quarters from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

11 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the moon and 
the stars, whom the moon and the stars do not know, whose body is the moon and 
the stars, and who controls the moon and the stars from within — he is the inner 
controller, the immortal. 

12 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from space, whom 
space does not know, whose body is space, and who controls space from within — he 
is the inner controller, the immortal. 

12 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from darkness, 


87 



3 . 7.13 


The Early Upanisads 


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88 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.8.1 


whom darkness does not know, whose body is darkness, and who controls darkness 
from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

1 4 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from light, whom 
light does not know, whose body is light, and who controls light from within — he is 
the inner controller, the immortal.” 

That was with respect to the divine sphere. 15 What follows is with respect to 
beings. 

“This self of yours who is present within but is different from all beings, whom 
all beings do not know, whose body is all beings, and who controls all beings from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal.” 

That was with respect to beings. 16 What follows is with respect to the body 
(at man). 

“This self of yours who is present within but is different from the breath, whom 
the breath does not know, whose body is the breath, and who controls the breath 
from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

17 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from speech, whom 
speech does not know, whose body is speech, and who controls speech from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

18 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from sight, whom 
sight does not know, whose body is sight, and who controls sight from within — he 
is the inner controller, the immortal. 

19 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from hearing, whom 
hearing does not know, whose body is hearing, and who controls hearing from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

20 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the mind, 
whom the mind does not know, whose body is the mind, and who controls the mind 
from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

21 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the skin, whom 
the skin does not know, whose body is the skin, and who controls the skin from 
within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

22 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from perception, 
whom perception does not know, whose body is perception, and who controls per- 
ception from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

23 “This self of yours who is present within but is different from the semen, 
whom the semen does not know, whose body is the semen, and who controls the 
semen from within — he is the inner controller, the immortal. 

“He sees, but he can’t be seen; he hears, but he can’t be heard; he thinks, but he 
can’t be thought of; he perceives, but he can’t be perceived. Besides him, there is no 
one who sees, no one who hears, no one who thinks, and no one who perceives. It is 
this self of yours who is the inner controller, the immortal. All besides this is grief.” 

Thereupon, Uddalaka Aruni fell silent. 


8 Then (GargI) Vacaknavi spoke. “Distinguished Brahmins!” she said. “I am go- 
ing to ask this man two questions. If he can give me the answers to them, none 
of you will be able to defeat him in a theological debate.” 


89 














Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.8.11 


“Ask, Gargl.” 

2 She said: “I rise to challenge you, Yajnavalkya, with two questions, much as a 
fierce warrior of Kasi or Videha, stringing his unstrung bow and taking two deadly 
arrows in his hand, would rise to challenge a rival. Give me the answers to them!” 

“Ask, Gargl.” 

3 She said: “The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the things 
between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to as past, 
present, and future — on what, Yajnavalkya, are all these woven back and forth?” 

4 He replied: “The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the 
things between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to 
as past, present, and future — on space, Gargl, are all these woven back and forth.” 

5 She responded: “All honor to you, Yajnavalkya. You really cleared that up for 
me! Get ready for the second.” 

“Ask, Gargl.” 

6 She said: “The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the things 
between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to as past, 
present, and future — on what, Yajnavalkya, are all these woven back and forth?” 

7 He replied: “The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the 
things between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to 
as past, present, and future — on space, Gargl, are all these woven back and forth.” 

“On what, then, is space woven back and forth?” 

8 He replied: “That, Gargl, is the imperishable, and Brahmins refer to it like 
this — it is neither coarse nor fine; it is neither short nor long; it has neither blood 
nor fat; it is without shadow or darkness; it is without air or space; it is without 
contact; it has no taste or smell; it is without sight or hearing; it is without speech or 
mind; it is without energy, breath, or mouth; it is beyond measure; it has nothing 
within it or outside of it; it does not eat anything; and no one eats it. 

9 “This is the imperishable, Gargl, at whose command the sun and the moon 
stand apart. This is the imperishable, Gargl, at whose command the earth and the 
sky stand apart. This is the imperishable, Gargl, at whose command seconds and 
hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years stand apart. This is 
the imperishable, Gargl, at whose command rivers flow from the snowy mountains 
in their respective directions, some to the east and others to the west. This is the 
imperishable, Gargl, at whose command people flatter donors, and gods are de- 
pendent on patrons of sacrifices, and forefathers on ancestral offerings. 

10 “Without knowing this imperishable, Gargl, even if a man were to make of- 
ferings, to offer sacrifices, and to perform austerities in this world for many 
thousands of years, all that would come to naught. Pitiful is the man, Gargl, who 
departs from this world without knowing this imperishable. But a man who departs 
from this world after he has come to know this imperishable — he, Gargl, is a Brah- 
min. 

11 “This is the imperishable, Gargl, which sees but can’t be seen; which hears 
but can’t be heard; which thinks but can’t be thought of; which perceives but can’t 
be perceived. Besides this imperishable, there is no one that sees, no one that hears, 
no one that thinks, and no one that perceives. 


91 



3 . 8.11 


The Early Upanisads 


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rx rx -S* rx 


Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.9.6 


“On this very imperishable, Gargi, space is woven back and forth.” 

12 “Distinguished Brahmins!” said Gargi. “You should consider yourself lucky 
if you escape from this man by merely paying him your respects. None of you will 
ever defeat him in a theological debate.” 

Thereupon, Vacaknavl fell silent. 


9 Then Vidagdha Sakalya began to question him. “Tell me, Yajnavalkya — how 
many gods are there?” Saying, “As many as are mentioned in the ritual invoca- 
tion within the laud to the All-gods,” he answered in accordance with this very rit- 
ual invocation: “Three and three hundred, and three and three thousand.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“Thirty-three.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“Six.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“Three.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“Two.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“One and a half.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but really, Yajnavalkya, how many gods are there?” 
“One.” 

“Yes, of course,” he said, “but then who are those three and three hundred, and 
those three and three thousand?” 

2 “They are only the powers of the gods,” Yajnavalkya replied. “There are only 
thirty-three gods.” 

“Who are those thirty-three?” 

“The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, and the twelve Adityas — that makes 
thirty-one. Then there are Indra and Prajapati, making a total of thirty-three.” 

3 “Who are the Vasus?” 

“The Vasus are fire, earth, wind, the intermediate region, sun, sky, moon, and 
stars. They are called Vasus because this whole treasure ( vasu ) is entrusted to 
them.” 

4 “Who are the Rudras?” 

“The ten vital functions (prana) in a man, with the self ( atman ) as the eleventh. 
They make people weep when they depart from this mortal body. They are called 
Rudras because they make people weep ( rud 
5 “Who are the Adityas?” 

“The Adityas are the twelve months of the year, for they carry off this whole 
world as they proceed. They are called Adityas because they carry off ( adadanah ) 
this whole world as they proceed ( yanti ).” 

6 “Who is Indra? And who is Prajapati?” 

“Indra is just the thunder, and Prajapati is the sacrifice.” 

“What is thunder?” 

“The thunderbolt.” 


93 



3 . 9.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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qqjwf ?j t tftcrr mww I 


94 



Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


3 . 9.14 


“What is the sacrifice?” 

“The sacrificial animals.” 

7 “Who are the six?” 

“The six are fire and earth, wind and the intermediate region, sun and sky — for 
these six are this whole world.” 

8 “Who are the three gods?” 

“Just these three worlds, for all the gods live in them.” 

“Who are the two gods?” 

“Food and breath.” 

“Who are the one and a half?” 

“The purifying wind that is blowing here. 9 Now, some may ask: ‘But the puri- 
fying wind here blows as one only. So how can he be one and a half?’ He is one and 
a half ( adhyardha ) because in him this whole world increases ( adliyardh -).” 

“Who is the one god?” 

“Breath. He is called ‘Brahman’ and ‘Tyad.’” 

10 “The person whose abode is the earth, whose world is fire, and whose light is 
the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self ( atman ), 
he would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this bodily person. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his god?” 

“The immortal,” Sakalya replied. 

1 1 “The person whose abode is passion, whose world is the heart, and whose 
light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self, he 
would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person immersed in passion. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his 
god?” 

“Women,” Sakalya replied. 

12 “The person whose abode is visible appearances, whose world is sight, and 
whose light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every 
self, he would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than that person up there in the sun. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his 
god?” 

“Truth,” Sakalya replied. 

13 “The person whose abode is space, whose world is hearing, and whose light 
is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self, he 
would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person connected with hearing and echo. But tell me, Sakalya 
— who is his god?” 

“The quarters,” Sakalya replied. 

14 “The person whose abode is darkness, whose world is the heart, and whose 
light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self, he 
would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 


95 



3 . 9.14 


The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.9.21 


“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person consisting of shadow. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his 
god?” 

“Death,” Sakalya replied. 

15 “The person whose abode is visible appearances, whose world is sight, and 
whose light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every 
self, he would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person here in a mirror. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his god?” 
“Life,” Sakalya replied. 

16 “The person whose abode is the waters, whose world is the heart, and whose 
light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self, he 
would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person here in the waters. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his 
god?” 

“Varuna,” Sakalya replied. 

17 “The person whose abode is semen, whose world is the heart, and whose 
light is the mind — should someone know that person, the final goal of every self, he 
would be a man who truly knows, Yajnavalkya.” 

“I know that person, the final goal of every self, of whom you speak. He is 
none other than this person associated with a son. But tell me, Sakalya — who is his 
god?” 

“Prajapati,” Sakalya replied. 

18 At this point Yajnavalkya exclaimed: “Poor Sakalya! I’m afraid these Brah- 
mins have made you their cat’s-paw.” 

19 Sakalya said: “Tell me, Yajnavalkya— what is the formulation of truth ( brah- 
man ) you know that has enabled you here to outtalk these Brahmins of Kuru and 
Pancala?” 

“I know the quarters together with their gods and foundations.” 

“Since you say that you know the quarters together with their gods and founda- 
tions, 20 according to you, who is the god of the eastern quarter?” 

“The sun.” 

“And the sun, on what is it founded?” 

“On sight.” 

“On what is sight founded?” 

“On visible appearances, for one sees visible appearances with one’s sight.” 

“On what are visible appearances founded?” 

“On the heart, for one recognizes visible appearances with the heart. So visible 
appearances are founded on the heart.” 

“You’re absolutely right, Yajnavalkya! 21 According to you, who is the god of 
the southern quarter?” 

“Yama.” 

“And Yama, on what is he founded?” 

“On the sacrifice.” 


97 








Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.9.26 


“On what is the sacrifice founded?” 

“On the sacrificial gift.” 

“On what is the sacrificial gift founded?” 

“On faith, for a man gives a sacrificial gift only when he has faith. So the sacri- 
ficial gift is founded on faith.” 

“On what is faith founded?” 

“On the heart, for one recognizes faith with the heart. So faith is founded on the 
heart.” 

“You’re absolutely right, Yajnavalkya! 22 According to you, who is the god of 
the western quarter?” 

“Varuna.” 

“And Varuna, on what is he founded?” 

“On water.” 

“On what is water founded?” 

“On semen.” 

“On what is semen founded?” 

“On the heart. For that very reason, when someone has a son who is a picture of 
him, people say: ‘He’s dropped right out of his heart! He’s carved from his very 
heart!’ So semen is founded on the heart.” 

“You’re absolutely right, Yajnavalkya! 23 According to you, who is the god of 
the northern quarter?” 

“The moon.” 

“And the moon, on what is it founded?” 

“On the sacrificial consecration.” 

“On what is the sacrificial consecration founded?” 

“On truth. For that very reason, they instruct a man consecrated for sacrifice: 
‘Speak the truth.’ So the sacrificial consecration is founded on truth.” 

“On what is truth founded?” 

“On the heart, for one recognizes truth with the heart. So truth is founded on 
the heart.” 

“You’re absolutely right, Yajnavalkya! 24 According to you, who is the god of 
the zenith, the fixed quarter?” 

“Fire.” 

“And the fire, on what is it founded?” 

“On speech.” 

“On what is speech founded?” 

“On the heart.” 

“On what is the heart founded?” 

25 At this Yajnavalkya exploded: “What an imbecile you are to think that it 
could be founded anywhere other than ourselves! If it were anywhere other than 
ourselves, dogs would eat it, or birds would tear it up.” 

26 “On what are you and your self ( atman ) founded?” 

“On the out-breath.” 

“On what is the out-breath founded?” 

“On the in-breath.” 


99 



3 . 9.26 


The Early Upanisads 


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100 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


3.9.28 


“On what is the in-breath founded?” 

“On the inter-breath.” 

“On what is the inter-breath founded?” 

“On the up-breath.” 

“On what is the up-breath founded?” 

“On the link-breath. About this self ( atman ), one can only say ‘not — , not — .’ 
He is ungraspable, for he cannot be grasped. He is undecaying, for he is not subject 
to decay. He has nothing sticking to him, for he does not stick to anything. He is not 
bound; yet he neither trembles in fear nor suffers injury. Now, those are the eight 
abodes, the eight worlds, the eight gods, and the eight persons. I ask you about that 
person providing the hidden connection ( upanisad ) — the one who carries off these 
other persons, brings them back, and rises above them? If you will not tell me that, 
your head will shatter apart." 

Sakalya did not know him, and his head did, indeed, shatter apart. Robbers, 
moreover, stole his bones, mistaking them for something else. 

27 Yajnavalkya then addressed them: “Distinguished Brahmins! If any one of 
you would like to question me, let him do so; or, if you prefer, you may question me 
all together. Or else, if any one of you would like me to, I will question him; or, if 
you prefer, I will question all of you together.” But those Brahmins did not dare. 

28 So he questioned them with these verses: 

Man is like a mighty tree — 
that’s the truth. 

His body hairs are its leaves, 

His skin is its outer bark. 

Blood flows from his skin. 

As sap from the bark of a tree. 

Blood flows when the skin is pricked, 

As sap, when the bark is slit. 

His flesh is the sapwood; 

His sinews are the fibers — 
that’s certain. 

His bones are the heartwood; 

And his marrow resembles the pith. 

A tree when it’s cut down. 

Grows anew from its root; 

From what root does a mortal man grow, 

When he is cut down by death? 

Do not say, “From the seed”; 

For it’s produced from him 
while he is still alive; 

And like a tree 

sprouting from a seed. 

It takes birth at once, 
even before he dies. 


101 



3.9.28 


The Early Upanisacls 


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102 





Brhadaratiyaka Upanisad 


4.1.2 


A tree, when it’s uprooted. 

Will not sprout out again; 

From what root does a mortal man grow, 
When he is cut down by death? 

Once he’s bom, 

he can’t be bom again. 

Who, I ask, 

will beget him again? 

Perception, bliss, brahman , 

The gift of those who give. 

The highest good — 

awaits those who know this 
and stand firm. 


ADHYAYA 4 


I Once when Janaka, the king of Videha, was formally seated, Yajnavalkya came 
up to him. Janaka asked him: “Yajnavalkya, why have you come? Are you 
after cows or subtle disquisitions?” He replied: “Both, your majesty. 2 Let’s hear 
what they have told you.” 

‘“Brahman is speech.’ That’s what Jitvan Sailini told me,” said Janaka. 

“Sailini told you 'Brahman is speech’? Why, that’s like someone telling that he 
has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a person 
who cannot speak possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and foundation 
are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman , Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Speech itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it 
as knowledge.” 

“What constitutes knowledge, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Speech itself, Your Majesty,” he replied. “For surely, Your Majesty, it is 
through speech that we come to know a counterpart. Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, 
the Atharva-Angiras, histories, ancient tales, sciences, hidden teachings ( upanisad ), 
verses, aphorisms, explanations, and glosses; offerings and oblations; food and 
drink; this world and the next world; and all beings — it is through speech, Your 
Majesty, that we come to know all these. So clearly, Your Majesty, the highest 
brahman is speech. When a man knows and venerates it as such, speech never 
abandons him, and all beings flock to him; he becomes a god and joins the company 
of gods.” 


103 



4.1.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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104 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4 . 1.4 


Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction. 3 Let’s hear what else they have told you.” 

Brahman is breath.’ That’s whatUdahka Saulbayana told me,” said Janaka. 

“Saulbayana told you ‘ Brahman is breath’? Why, that’s like someone telling 
that he has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a 
person who cannot breathe possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and 
foundation are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman, Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Breath itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it as 
‘dear.’” 

“What constitutes ‘dear,’ Yajnavalkya?” 

“Breath itself, Your Majesty,” he replied. “For surely, Your Majesty, it is for 
the love of one’s breath that one officiates at the sacrifice of a man at whose sacri- 
fices one is forbidden to officiate or accepts gifts from a man from whom one is 
forbidden to accept gifts. And if a man is afraid of getting killed when he travels 
somewhere, Your Majesty, it is because he loves his breath. So clearly, Your Maj- 
esty, the highest brahman is breath. When a man knows and venerates it as such, 
breath never abandons him, and all beings flock to him; he becomes a god and joins 
the company of gods.” 

Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction. 4 Let’ s hear what else they have told you.” 

“‘ Brahman is sight.’ That’s what Barku Varsna told me,” said Janaka. 

“Varsna told you ‘ Brahman is sight’? Why, that’s like someone telling that he 
has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a person 
who cannot see possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and foundation 
are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman, Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Sight itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it as 
truth.” 

“What constitutes truth, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Sight itself, Your Majesty,” he replied. “For surely. Your Majesty, when they 
ask someone who has seen something with his sight: ‘Did you see it?’ and he re- 
plies: ‘I saw it,’ it is taken as the truth. So clearly, Your Majesty, the highest brah- 
man is sight. When a man knows and venerates it as such, sight never abandons 
him, and all beings flock to him; he becomes a god and joins the company of gods.” 

Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 


105 



4 . 1.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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106 



Brhaclaranyaka Upanisad 


4.1.7 


Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction. 5 Let’s hear what else they have told you.” 

“ ‘ Brahman is hearing.’ That’s what Gardabhlviplta Bharadvaja told me,” said 
Janaka. 

“Bharadvaja told you ‘Brahman is hearing’? Why, that’s like someone telling 
that he has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a 
person who cannot hear possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and 
foundation are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman, Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“Hearing itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it 
as limitless.” 

“What constitutes the limitless, Yajnavalkya?” 

“The quarters themselves, Your Majesty,” he replied. “Therefore, toward 
whichever quarter a man may travel, Your Majesty, he will never reach its limit, for 
the quarters are limitless. And the quarters, Your Majesty, are the same as hearing. 
So clearly, Your Majesty, the highest brahman is hearing. When a man knows and 
venerates it as such, hearing never abandons him, and all beings flock to him; he 
becomes a god and joins the company of gods.” 

Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction. 6 Let’s hear what else they have told you.” 

Brahman is the mind.’ That’s what Satyakama Jabala told me,” said Janaka. 

“Jabala told you ‘ Brahman is the mind’? Why, that’s like someone telling that 
he has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a per- 
son who has no mind possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and 
foundation are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman, Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“The mind itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it 
as bliss.” 

“What constitutes bliss, Yajnavalkya?” 

“The mind itself, Your Majesty,” he replied. “For surely, Your Majesty, it is 
with the mind that a man takes a woman to himself and through her fathers a son 
who resembles him. And that is bliss. So clearly. Your Majesty, the highest brah- 
man is the mind. When a man knows and venerates it as such, the mind never 
abandons him, and all beings flock to him; he becomes a god and joins the company 
of gods.” 

Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction. 7 Let’s hear what else they have told you.” 


107 



4 . 1.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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108 


Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4.2.4 


‘“Brahman is the heart.’ That’s what Vidagdha Sakalya told me,” said Janaka. 

“Sakalya told you ‘ Brahman is the heart’? Why, that’s like someone telling that 
he has a father, or a mother, or a teacher! He probably reasoned: ‘What could a per- 
son who has no heart possibly have?’ But did he tell you what its abode and 
foundation are?” 

“He did not tell me that.” 

“Then it’s a one-legged brahman. Your Majesty.” 

“Why don’t you tell us that yourself, Yajnavalkya?” 

“The heart itself is its abode, and space is its foundation. One should venerate it 
as stability.” 

“What constitutes stability, Yajnavalkya?” 

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heart is the abode of all beings; the heart is the foundation of all beings. For it is on 
the heart that all the beings are founded. So clearly, Your Majesty, the highest 
brahman is the heart. When a man knows and venerates it as such, the heart never 
abandons him, and all beings flock to him; he becomes a god and joins the company 
of gods.” 

Janaka of Videha exclaimed: “I’ll give you a thousand cows together with bulls 
and elephants!” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “My father believed that one should never accept a gift 
before giving instruction.” 

2 Janaka, the king of Videha, got down from his seat, came up to him, and said: 
“Homage to you, Yajnavalkya. Please teach me.” 

Yajnavalkya replied: “Just as a king, when he is about to undertake a great ex- 
pedition, would equip himself with a chariot or a ship, so have you equipped 
yourself with these hidden teachings (upanisad). You are so eminent and rich; you 
have learned the Vedas; and you are versed in the hidden teachings (upanisad). So 
can you tell me where you will go when you leave this world?” 

“No, sir. I don’t know where I’ll go.” 

“Well, I’ll tell you where you will go.” 

“Do tell me, sir.” 

2 “Clearly, the true name of the person in the right eye is Indha. Even though he 
is really Indha, people cryptically call him ‘Indra,’ because gods in some ways love 
the cryptic and despise the plain. 3 What looks like a person in the left eye, on the 
other hand, is his wife Viraj. Their meeting place is the space within the heart, their 
food is the red lump in the heart, and their garment is the meshlike substance within 
the heart. The path along which they travel is the vein that goes up from the heart. 
The veins called Hita that are located in the heart are as fine as a hair split a thou- 
sandfold. Along them the sap flows continuously. In some ways, therefore, this 
person eats food that is more refined than does the bodily self (atman). 

4 “The vital functions (prana ) of this person that are on his front side constitute 
the eastern quarter; the vital functions on his right side constitute the southern 
quarter; the vital functions at his back constitute the western quarter; the vital func- 
tions on his left side constitute the northern quarter; the vital functions on his upper 


109 



4.2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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no 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4 . 3.8 


side constitute the zenith; the vital functions on his bottom side constitute the nadir; 
and all his vital functions together constitute all the quarters. 

“About this self ( atman ), one can only say ‘not — , not — He is ungraspable, 
for he cannot be grasped. He is undecaying, for he is not subject to decay. He has 
nothing sticking to him, for he does not stick to anything. He is not bound; yet he 
neither trembles in fear nor suffers injury. Truly, Janaka, you have attained freedom 
from fear.’’ 

After Yajnavalkya had said this, Janaka of Videha replied: “May that freedom 
be yours too, Yajnavalkya, you who have taught us that freedom from fear. Homage 
to you! These people of Videha and I myself — here we are at your service!” 

3 One day Yajnavalkya paid a visit to Janaka, the king of Videha, thinking to 
himself, “I won’t tell him.” But once, when the two were engaged in a discus- 
sion about the daily fire sacrifice, Yajnavalkya had granted Janaka of Videha a 
wish. The wish he chose was the freedom to ask any question at will, and 
Yajnavalkya had granted it to him. So it was the king who now put the question to 
him first. 

2 “Yajnavalkya, what is the source of light for a person here?” 

“The sun, Your Majesty, is his source of light,” he replied. “It is by the light of 
the sun that a person sits down, goes about, does his work, and returns.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. 3 But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, what then 
is the source of light for a person here?” 

“The moon is then his source of light. It is by the light of the moon that a per- 
son sits down, goes about, does his work, and returns.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. 4 But when both the sun and the moon have set, 
Yajnavalkya, what then is the source of light for a person here?” 

“A fire is then his source of light. It is by the light of a fire that a person sits 
down, goes about, does his work, and returns.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. 5 But when both the sun and the moon have set, 
Yajnavalkya, and the fire has died out, what then is the source of light for a person 
here?” 

“The voice is then his source of light. It is by the light of the voice that a person 
sits down, goes about, does his work, and returns. Therefore, Your Majesty, when 
someone cannot make out even his own hand, he goes straightway toward the spot 
from where he hears a voice.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. 6 But when both the sun and the moon have set, the 
fire has died out, and the voice is stilled, Yajnavalkya, what then is the source of 
light for a person here?” 

“The self {atman) is then his source of light. It is by the light of the self that a 
person sits down, goes about, does his work, and returns.” 

7 “Which self is that?” 

“It is this person — the one that consists of perception among the vital functions 
(prana), the one that is the inner light within the heart. He travels across both 
worlds, being common to both. Sometimes he reflects, sometimes he flutters, for 
when he falls asleep he transcends this world, these visible forms of death. 8 When 


111 



4 . 3.8 


The Early Upanisads 


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112 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisacl 


4.3.15 


at birth this person takes on a body, he becomes united with bad things, and when at 
death he leaves it behind, he gets rid of those bad things. 

9 “Now, this person has just two places — this world and the other world. And 
there is a third, the place of dream where the two meet. Standing there in the place 
where the two meet, he sees both those places — this world and the other world. 
Now, that place serves as an entryway to the other world, and as he moves through 
that entry way he sees both the bad things and the joys. 

“This is how he dreams. He takes materials from the entire world and, taking 
them apart on his own and then on his own putting them back together, he dreams 
with his own radiance, with his own light. In that place this person becomes his own 
light. 10 In that place there are no carriages, there are no tandems, and there are no 
roads; but he creates for himself carriages, tandems, and roads. In that place there 
are no joys, pleasures, or delights; but he creates for himself joys, pleasures, and 
delights. In that place there are no pools, ponds, or rivers; but he creates for himself 
pools, ponds, and rivers — for he is a creator. 1 1 On this subject, there are these 
verses: 

Subduing by sleep the bodily realm. 

Remaining awake, he contemplates 
the sleeping senses. 

Taking the light, he returns to his place — 

The golden person! 

The single goose! 

12 Guarding by breath the lower nest, 

The immortal roams outside the nest; 

The immortal goes wherever he wants — 

The golden person! 

The single goose! 

13 Traveling in sleep to places high and low, 

The god creates many a visible form — 

now dallying with women, 

now laughing, 

now seeing frightful things. 

14 All they see is his pleasure ground; 

But him no one sees at all. 

“So people say that one should not awaken a man who is sound asleep; it is 
very hard to cure anyone to whom that person has not returned. Now, people also 
say that this place of his is the same as the place he is in when he is awake, because 
one sees in a dream the same things one sees when one is awake. Here, in dream, a 
man becomes his own light.” 

“Here, sir. I’ll give you a thousand cows! But you’ll have to tell me more than 
that to get yourself released!” 

1 5 “Well, after this person has enjoyed himself and traveled around in that se- 
rene realm and seen for himself the good and the bad, he rushes along the same path 
and through the same opening back again to the realm of dream. Whatever he may 


113 



The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4.3.24 


have seen in that serene realm does not follow him, because nothing sticks to this 
person.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. Here, sir, I’ll give you a thousand cows! But you’ll 
have to tell me more than that to get yourself released!” 

16 “Well, after this person has enjoyed himself and traveled around in that realm 
of dream and seen for himself the good and the bad, he rushes along the same path 
and through the same opening back again to the realm where one is awake. What- 
ever he may have seen in that realm of dream does not follow him, because nothing 
sticks to this person.” 

“Quite right, Yajnavalkya. Here, sir, I’ll give you a thousand cows! But you’ll 
have to tell me more than that to get yourself released!” 

17 “Well, after this person has enjoyed himself and traveled around in this realm 
where one is awake and seen for himself the good and the bad, he rushes along the 
same path and through the same opening back again to the realm of dream. 

18 “It is like this. As a large fish moves between both banks, the nearer and the 
farther, so this person moves between both realms, the realm of dream and the 
realm where one is awake. 

19 “It is like this. As a hawk or an eagle, after flying around in the sky and get- 
ting tired, folds its wings and swoops down into its nest, so this person rushes into 
that realm where as he sleeps he has no desires and sees no dreams. 

20 “Now, he has these veins called Hita. They are as fine as a hair split a thou- 
sandfold and are filled with white, blue, orange, green, and red fluid. Now, when 
people appear to kill or to vanquish him, when an elephant appears to chase him, or 
when he appears to fall into a pit, he is only ignorantly imagining dangers that he 
had seen while he was awake. But when he, appearing to be a god or a king, thinks 
‘I alone am this world! I am all!’ — that is his highest world. 

21 “Now, this is the aspect of his that is beyond what appears to be good, freed 
from what is bad, and without fear. 

“It is like this. As a man embraced by a woman he loves is oblivious to every- 
thing within or without, so this person embraced by the self ( atman ) consisting of 
knowledge is oblivious to everything within or without. 

“Clearly, this is the aspect of his where all desires are fulfilled, where the self is 
the only desire, and which is free from desires and far from sorrows. 

22 “Here a father is not a father, a mother is not a mother, worlds are not worlds, 
gods are not gods, and Vedas are not Vedas. Here a thief is not a thief, an abortion- 
ist is not an abortionist, an outcaste is not an outcaste, a pariah is not a pariah, a 
recluse is not a recluse, and an ascetic is not an ascetic. Neither the good nor the bad 
follows him, for he has now passed beyond all sorrows of the heart. 

23 “Now, he does not see anything here; but although he does not see, he is quite 
capable of seeing, for it is impossible for the seer to lose his capacity to see, for it is 
indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could see as something 
distinct and separate from himself. 

24 “Nor does he smell anything here; but although he does not smell, he is quite 
capable of smelling, for it is impossible for the smeller to lose his capacity to smell, 


115 



4 . 3.24 


The Early Upanisads 


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td dl dftddddt I dd t 5Td dtpMTdlddT: d dp dMH'^HWMp: I 


116 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4.3.33 


for it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could smell as 
something distinct and separate from himself. 

25 “Nor does he taste anything here; but although he does not taste, he is quite 
capable of tasting, for it is impossible for the taster to lose his capacity to taste, for it 
is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could taste as some- 
thing distinct and separate from himself. 

26 “Nor does he speak anything here; but although he does not speak, he is quite 
capable of speaking, for it is impossible for the speaker to lose his capacity to speak, 
for it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could speak to as 
something distinct and separate from himself. 

27 “Nor does he hear anything here; but although he does not hear, he is quite 
capable of hearing, for it is impossible for the hearer to lose his capacity to hear, for 
it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could hear as some- 
thing distinct and separate from himself. 

28 “Nor does he think of anything here; but although he does not think, he is 
quite capable of thinking, for it is impossible for the thinker to lose his capacity to 
think, for it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here about which he 
could think as something distinct and separate from himself. 

29 “Nor does he touch anything here; but although he does not touch, he is quite 
capable of touching, for it is impossible for the toucher to lose his capacity to touch, 
for it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could touch as 
something distinct and separate from himself. 

30“Nor does he perceive anything here; but although he does not perceive, he is 
quite capable of perceiving, for it is impossible for the perceiver to lose his capacity 
to perceive, for it is indestructible. But there isn’t a second reality here that he could 
perceive as something distinct and separate from himself. 

3 1 “When there is some other thing, then the one can see the other, the one can 
smell the other, the one can taste the other, the one can speak to the other, the one 
can hear the other, the one can think of the other, the one can touch the other, and 
the one can perceive the other. 

32 “He becomes the one ocean, he becomes the sole seer! This, Your Majesty, is 
the world of brahman.” So did Yajnavalkya instruct him. “This is his highest goal! 
This is his highest attainment! This is his highest world! This is his highest bliss! 
On just a fraction of this bliss do other creatures live. 

33 “Among human beings, when someone is successful and rich, ruling over 
others and enjoying to the utmost all human pleasures — that is the highest bliss of 
human beings. Now, a hundred measures of such human bliss equal a single mea- 
sure of the bliss enjoyed by the ancestors who have won their world. And a hundred 
measures of the bliss enjoyed by the ancestors who have won their world equal a 
single measure of the bliss enjoyed in the world of the Gandharvas. A hundred 
measures of bliss enjoyed in the world of the Gandharvas equal a single measure of 
bliss enjoyed by gods-by-rites, that is, those who have become gods by performing 
rites. A hundred measures of bliss enjoyed by gods-by-rites equal a single measure 
of bliss enjoyed by gods-by-birth — and, one might add, by those who are learned in 
the Vedas and who are not crooked or lustful. A hundred measures _of bliss enjoyed 


117 



The Early Upanisads 


H<cjH|J-||-Ki: g- qcp 5T5TT- 
: I 5RT tT 5RT a^rofcPAlcfj 







Brhadaranyaka Upanisacl 


4.4.2 


by gods-by-birth equal a single measure of bliss enjoyed in the world of Prajapati — 
and, one might add, by those who are learned in the Vedas and who are not crooked 
or lustful. A hundred measures of bliss enjoyed in the world of Prajapati equal a 
single measure of bliss enjoyed in the world of brahman — and, one might add, by 
those who are learned in the Vedas and who are not crooked or lustful. Now this, 
undoubtedly, is the highest bliss. This, Your Majesty, is the world of brahman.'” So 
said Yajnavalkya. 

“Here, sir, I’ll give you a thousand cows! But you’ll have to tell me more than 
that to get yourself released!” 

At this point Yajnavalkya became alarmed, thinking: “The king is really sharp! 
He has flushed me out of every cover.” 

34 Yajnavalkya continued: “After this person has enjoyed himself and traveled 
around in that realm of dream and seen for himself the good and the bad, he rushes 
along the same path and through the same opening back again to the realm where 
one is awake. 

35 “It is like this. As a heavily loaded cart goes along creaking, so this bodily 
self ( atman ), saddled with the self (atman) of knowledge, goes along groaning as he 
is breathing his last. 36 Now a man grows feeble on account of either old age or 
sickness. 

“It is like this. As a mango or a fig or a berry detaches itself from its stem, so 
this person frees himself from these bodily parts and rushes along the same path and 
through the same opening back again to a new life (prana). 

37 “It is like this. As soldiers, magistrates, equerries, and village headmen shout, 
‘He’s arrived!’ and ‘Here he comes!’ as they wait expectantly with food, drink, and 
lodging for a king who is about to arrive, so all beings shout, ‘Brahman has 
arrived!’ and ‘Here comes brahmanV as they await a man who knows this. 

38 “It is like this. As soldiers, magistrates, equerries, and village headmen 
throng around a king who is about to depart, so at the time of death all the vital 
functions (prana ) throng around this self (atman) as he is breathing his last.” 


4 “Now, as this self (atman) grows steadily weaker and begins to lose conscious- 
ness, these vital functions (prana) throng around him. Taking into himself these 
particles of light, he descends back into the heart. When the person connected with 
sight turns back, the man loses his ability to perceive visible forms. 2 So people say: 
‘He’s sinking; he can’t see!’ — ‘He’s sinking; he can’t smell!’ — ‘He’s sinking; he 
can’t taste!’ — ‘He’s sinking; he can’t speak!’ — ‘He’s sinking; he can’t hear!’ — 
‘He’s sinking; he can’t think!’— ‘He’s sinking; he can’t feel a touch!’ — ‘He’s sink- 
ing; he can’t perceive!’ Then the top of his heart lights up, and with that light the 
self exits through the eye or the head or some other part of the body. As he is de- 
parting, his lifebreath (prana ) departs with him. And as his lifebreath departs, all his 
vital functions (prana) depart with it. 

He then descends into a state of mere awareness and develops into one who is 
thus endowed with perception. Then learning and rites, as well as memory, take 
hold of him. 


119 



4.4.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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mm mtw i 


120 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4.4.8 


3 “It is like this. As a caterpillar, when it comes to the tip of a blade of grass, 
reaches out to a new foothold and draws itself onto it, so the self ( atman ), after it 
has knocked down this body and rendered it unconscious, reaches out to a new 
foothold and draws itself onto it. 

4 “It is like this. As a weaver, after she has removed the colored yarn, weaves a 
different design that is newer and more attractive, so the self, after it has knocked 
down this body and rendered it unconscious, makes for himself a different figure 
that is newer and more attractive — the figure of a forefather, or of a Gandharva, or 
of a god, or of Prajapati, or of brahman, or else the figure of some other being. 

5 “Clearly, this self is brahman — this self that is made of perception, made of 
mind, made of sight, made of breath, made of hearing, made of earth, made of wa- 
ter, made of wind, made of space, made of light and the lightless, made of desire 
and the desireless, made of anger and the angerless, made of the righteous and the 
unrighteous; this self that is made of everything. Hence there is this saying: ‘He’s 
made of this. He’s made of that.’ What a man turns out to be depends on how he 
acts and on how he conducts himself. If his actions are good, he will turn into 
something good. If his actions are bad, he will turn into something bad. A man turns 
into something good by good action and into something bad by bad action. And so 
people say: ‘A person here consists simply of desire.’ A man resolves in accordance 
with his desire, acts in accordance with his resolve, and turns out to be in accor- 
dance with his action. 6 On this point there is the following verse: 

A man who’s attached goes with his action, 
to that very place to which 
his mind and character cling. 

Reaching the end of his action, 

of whatever he has done in this world — 

From that world he returns 
back to this world, 
back to action. 

“That is the course of a man who desires. 

“Now, a man who does not desire — who is without desires, who is freed from 
desires, whose desires are fulfilled, whose only desire is his self — his vital functions 
(prana) do not depart. Brahman he is, and to brahman he goes. 7 On this point there 
is the following verse: 

When they are all banished, 

those desires lurking in one’s heart; 

Then a mortal becomes immortal, 

and attains brahman in this world. 

“It is like this. As a snake’s slough, lifeless and discarded, lies on an anthill, so 
lies this corpse. But this noncorporeal and immortal lifebreath (prana ) is nothing 
but brahman , nothing but light.” 

“Here, sir, I’ll give you a thousand cows!” said Janaka, the king of Videha. 

8 “On this point there are the following verses: 


121 



4.4.8 


The Early U path sads 


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d%T W 3TTddFT f^M^TgdfajdFT W^W 


122 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4 . 4.17 


There is an ancient path 

extremely fine and extending far; 

It has touched me, I’ve discovered it! 

By it they go up to the heavenly world 
released from here, 
wise men, knowers of brahman. 

9 In it are the white and the blue, they say, 
the orange, green, and red. 

By brahman was this path discovered; 

By it goes the knower of brahman, 
the doer of good, the man of light. 

10 Into blind darkness they enter, 

people who worship ignorance; 

And into still blinder darkness, 
people who delight in learning. 

11 ‘Joyless’ are those regions called, 

in blind darkness they are cloaked; 

Into them after death they go, 

men who are not learned or wise. 

12 If a person truly perceives the self, 

knowing ‘I am he’; 

What possibly could he want. 

Whom possibly could he love, 
that he should worry about his body? 

13 The self has entered this body, this dense jumble; 

if a man finds him, 
recognizes him, 

He’s the maker of everything — the author of all! 
The world is his — he’s the world itself! 

14 While we are still here, we have come to know it. 

If you’ve not known it, great is your destruction. 
Those who have known it — they become immortal. 
As for the rest — only suffering awaits them. 

15 When a man clearly sees this self as god, 

the lord of what was 
and of what will be. 

He will not seek to hide from him. 

16 Beneath which the year revolves 

together with its days, 

That the gods venerate 
as the light of lights, 
as life immortal. 

17 In which are established 

the various groups of five, 
together with space; 

I take that to be the self — 


123 



4 . 4.17 


The Early Upanisads 


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124 



Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


4 . 4.23 


I who have the knowledge, 

I who am immortal, 

I take that to be — 
the brahman, 
the immortal. 

18 The breathing behind breathing, the sight behind sight, 

the hearing behind hearing, the thinking behind thinking — 
Those who know this perceive brahman, 
the first, 
the ancient. 

19 With the mind alone must one behold it — 

there is here nothing diverse at all! 

From death to death he goes, who sees 
here any kind of diversity. 

20 As just singular must one behold it — 

immeasurable and immovable. 

The self is spotless and beyond space, 
unborn, immense, immovable. 

21 By knowing that very one a wise Brahmin 

should obtain insight for himself. 

Let him not ponder over a lot of words; 
it just tires the voice! 

22 “This immense, unborn self is none other than the one consisting of percep- 
tion here among the vital functions (prana). There, in that space within the heart, he 
lies — the controller of all, the lord of all, the ruler of all ! He does not become more 
by good actions or in any way less by bad actions. He is the lord of all! He is the 
ruler of creatures! He is the guardian of creatures! He is the dike separating these 
worlds so they would not mingle with each other. It is he that Brahmins seek to 
know by means of vedic recitation, sacrifice, gift-giving, austerity, and fasting. It is 
he, on knowing whom a man becomes a sage. It is when they desire him as their 
world that wandering ascetics undertake the ascetic life of wandering. 

“It was when they knew this that men of old did not desire offspring, reasoning: 
‘Ours is this self, and it is our world. What then is the use of offspring for us?’ So 
they gave up the desire for sons, the desire for wealth, and the desire for worlds, and 
undertook the mendicant life. The desire for sons, after all, is the same as the desire 
for wealth, and the desire for wealth is the same as the desire for worlds — both are 
simply desires. 

“About this self ( atman ), one can only say ‘not — , not — .’ He is ungraspable, 
for he cannot be grasped. He is undecaying, for he is not subject to decay. He has 
nothing sticking to him, for he does not stick to anything. He is not bound; yet he 
neither trembles in fear nor suffers injury.” 

“These two thoughts do not pass across this self at all: ‘Therefore, I did some- 
thing bad’; and ‘Therefore, I did something good.’ This self, on the other hand, 
passes across both those; he is not burnt by anything that he has done or left undone. 

23 The same point is made by this Rgvedic verse: 


125 



4 . 4.23 


The Early Upanisads 


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126 



Brhaduranyaka Upanisad 


4.5.6 


He is a Brahmin’s eternal greatness — 

he’s not made greater or smaller by action. 

It’s his trail that one should get to know; 

And when a man knows him, 

he’s no longer stained by bad deeds. 

“A man who knows this, therefore, becomes calm, composed, cool, patient, and 
collected. He sees the self ( atman ) in just himself ( atman ) and all things as the self. 
Evil does not pass across him, and he passes across all evil. He is not burnt by evil; 
he burns up all evil. He becomes a Brahmin — free from evil, free from stain, free 
from doubt. 

“He is the world of brahman, Your Majesty, and I have taken you to him.” So 
said Yajnavalkya. 

“Here, sir, I’ll give you the people of Videha together with myself to be your 
slaves!” 

24 Now, this is the immense and unborn self, the eater of food and the giver of 
wealth. A man who knows this finds wealth. 25 And this is the immense and unborn- 
self, unaging, undying, immortal, free from fear — the brahman. Brahman, surely, is 
free from fear, and a man who knows this undoubtedly becomes brahman that is 
free from fear. 

5 Now, Yajnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyl and Katyayanl. Of the two, 
Maitreyi was a woman who took part in theological discussions, while 
Katyayanl’s understanding was limited to womanly matters. One day, as he was 
preparing to undertake a different mode of life, 2 Yajnavalkya said: “Maitreyl, I am 
about to go away from this place. So come, let me make a settlement between you 
and Katyayanl.” 

3 Maitreyl asked in reply: “If I were to possess the entire world filled with 
wealth, sir, would it, or would it not, make me immortal?” “No,” said Yajnavalkya, 
“it will only permit you to live the life of a wealthy person. Through wealth one 
cannot expect immortality.” 

4 “What is the point in getting something that will not make me immortal?” re- 
torted Maitreyi. “Tell me instead, sir, all that you know.” 

5 Yajnavalkya said in reply: “You have always been very dear to me, and now 
you have made yourself even more so! Come, my lady, I will explain it to you. But 
while I am explaining, try to concentrate.” 6 Then he spoke: 

“One holds a husband dear, you see, not out of love for the husband; rather, it is 
out of love for oneself {atman) that one holds a husband dear. One holds a wife dear 
not out of love for the wife; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds a wife 
dear. One holds children dear not out of love for the children; rather, it is out of love 
for oneself that one holds children dear. One holds wealth dear not out of love for 
wealth; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds wealth dear. One holds 
livestock dear not out of love for livestock; rather, it is out of love for oneself that 
one holds livestock dear. One holds the priestly power dear not out of love for the 
priestly power; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the priestly power 


127 



4 . 5.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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sftSRT RfRTf RRRT f^^RTR RcfRgi%Rf Rg^R : RTR^RKRRfftRTT ^fcT- 

RTR: JTFT fell RmPKR: RTtRR: ^RFRJ°RR=RIRlf4 3RTRRTRr4tR fcFTT- 

Rrt qrftcTRR r rtTrt err eftRT rrM" r ffcrrR I 3T^tcKR r## 
fRy^diPf 3 1 1 ? ? 1 1 r - rrt eRrawff rrr rrrrrr I rr hW RTjffRr 

I TTcf H^wf WFft Trft!'^ I^PPPT I <rf RTFTf 1%fcR- 

qqrr 1 IR ^TFTf ^^t^FFFT I OR ?#Tf 3TRRt I 

etR d^-cHRt RT | it# K^ltf 1 I 

?#R ^4 u lt ^RtK^FRR I ?r4RRRRR7^R5q- q^irpHT I it# RT^tsit 
KriWt qTRt^FRR I it# 2 qTR^WFPT I it# ^#5# dqHl' 

RTRrTRW IIHII R W ^cty^lSRrRfSRfT: RpHI RRRT ^ I #4 R 


128 



Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


4.5.13 


dear. One holds the royal power dear not out of love for the royal power; rather, it is 
out of love for oneself that one holds the royal power dear. One holds the worlds 
dear not out of love for the worlds; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds 
the worlds dear. One holds the gods dear not out of love for the gods; rather, it is 
out of love for oneself that one holds the gods dear. One holds the Vedas dear not 
out of love for the Vedas; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the Ve- 
das dear. One holds beings dear not out of love for beings; rather, it is out of love 
for oneself that one holds beings dear. One holds the Whole dear not out of love for 
the Whole; rather, it is out of love for oneself that one holds the Whole dear. 

“You see, Maitreyl — it is one’s self ( atman ) which one should see and hear, 
and on which one should reflect and concentrate. For when one has seen and heard 
one’s self, when one has reflected and concentrated on one’s self, one knows this 
whole world. 

7 “May the priestly power forsake anyone who considers the priestly power to 
reside in something other than his self {atman). May the royal power forsake any- 
one who considers the royal power to reside in something other than his self. May 
the worlds forsake anyone who considers the worlds to reside in something other 
than his self. May the gods forsake anyone who considers the gods to reside in 
something other than his self. May the Vedas forsake anyone who considers the 
Vedas to reside in something other than his self. May beings forsake anyone who 
considers beings to reside in something other than his self. May the Whole forsake 
anyone who considers the Whole to reside in something other than his self. 

“All these — the priestly power, the royal power, worlds, gods, beings, the 
Whole — all that is nothing but this self. 

8 “It is like this. When a drum is being beaten, you cannot catch the external 
sounds; you catch them only by getting hold of the drum or the man beating it. 9 Or 
when a conch is being blown, you cannot catch the external sounds; you catch them 
only by getting hold of the conch or the man blowing it. 10 Or when a lute is being 
played, you cannot catch the external sounds; you catch them only by getting hold 
of the lute or the man playing it. 

1 1 “It is like this. As clouds of smoke billow from a fire lit with damp fuel, so 
indeed the Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, the Atharva-Ahgirasa, histories, ancient 
tales, sciences, hidden teachings ( upanisad ), verses, aphorisms, explanations, 
glosses, sacrifices, oblations, offerings of food and drink, this world, the other 
world, and all beings — all these are the exhalation of this Immense Being. And all 
these are the inhalation of that very Being. 

12 “It is like this. As the ocean is the point of convergence of all the waters, so 
the skin is the point of convergence of all sensations of touch; the nostrils, of all 
odors; the tongue, of all tastes; sight, of all visible appearances; hearing, of all 
sounds; the mind, of all thoughts; the heart, of all sciences; the hands, of all activi- 
ties; the sexual organ, of all pleasures; the anus, of all excretions; the feet, of all 
travels; and speech, of all the Vedas. 

13 “It is like this. As a mass of salt has no distinctive core and surface; the 
whole thing is a single mass of flavor — so indeed, my dear, this self has no distinc- 
tive core and surface; the whole thing is a single mass of cognition. It arises out of 


129 







Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


4 . 6.3 


and together with these beings and disappears after them — so I say, after death there 
is no awareness.” 

After Yajnavalkya said this, 14 MaitreyI exclaimed: “Now, sir, you have utterly 
confused me! I cannot perceive this at all.” He replied: 

“Look — I haven’t said anything confusing. This self, you see, is imperishable; 
it has an indestructible nature. I S For when there is a duality of some kind, then the 
one can see the other, the one can smell the other, the one can taste the other, the 
one can greet the other, the one can hear the other, the one can think of the other, 
the one can touch the other, and the one can perceive the other. When, however, the 
Whole has become one’s very self (atman), then who is there for one to see and by 
what means? Who is there for one to smell and by what means? Who is there for 
one to taste and by what means? Who is there for one to greet and by what means? 
Who is there for one to hear and by what means? Who is there for one to think of 
and by what means? Who is there for one to touch and by what means? Who is 
there for one to perceive and by what means? 

“By what means can one perceive him by means of whom one perceives this 
whole world? 

“About this self {atman), one can only say ‘not — , not — .’ He is ungraspable, 
for he cannot be grasped. He is undecaying, for he is not subject to decay. He has 
nothing sticking to him, for he does not stick to anything. He is not bound; yet he 
neither trembles in fear nor suffers injury. 

“Look — by what means can one perceive the perceiver? There, I have given 
you the instruction, MaitreyT. That’s all there is to immortality.” 

After saying this, Yajnavalkya went away. 


6 Now the lineage: 

Pautimasya from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Pautimasya; Pautimasya 
from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Kausika; Kausika from Kaundinya; Kaundinya 
from Sandilya; Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama; Gautama 2 from Agnivesya; 
Agnivesya from Gargya; Gargya from Gargya; Gargya from Gautama; Gautama 
from Saitava; Saitava from Parasaryayana; Parasaryayana from Gargyayana; 
Gargyayana from Uddalakayana; Uddalakayana from Jabalayana; Jabalayana from 
Madhyandinayana; Madhyandinayana from Saukarayana; Saukarayana from 
Kasayana; Kasayana from Sayakayana; Sayakayana from Kausikayani: Kausikayani 
3 from Ghrtakausika; Ghrtakausika from Parasaryayana; Parasaryayana from 
Parasarya; Parasarya from Jatukarnya; Jatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska; 
Asurayana from Traivani; Traivani from Aupajandhani; Aupajandhani from Asuri; 
Asuri from Bharadvaja; Bharadvaja from Atreya; Atreya from Manti; Manti from 
Gautama; Gautama from Gautama; Gautama from Vatsya; Vatsya from Sandilya; 
Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya; Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita; Kumaraharita 
from Galava; Galava from Vidarbhlkaundinya; Vidarbhlkaundinya from Vatsanapat 
Babhrava; Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathin Saubhara; Pathin Saubhara from 
Ayasya Angirasa; Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvastra; Abhuti Tvastra from 
Visvarupa Tvastra; Visvarupa Tvastra from the two Asvins; the two Asvins from 
Dadhyanc Atharvana; Dadhyanc Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva; Atharvan Daiva 


131 



4 . 6.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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4^ II V I 

II ffcT cpfFT dWFT II 


132 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


5 . 3.1 


from Mrtyu Pradhvamsana; Mrtyu Pradhvamsana from Pradhvamsana; Pradh- 
vamsana from Eka Rsi; Eka Rsi from Vipracitti; Vipracitti from Vyasti; Vyasti from 
Sanaru; Sanaru from Sanatana; Sanatana from Sanaga; Sanaga from Paramesthin; 
Paramesthin from Brahman. Brahman is self-existent. Homage to Brahman! 


ADHYAYA 5 


I The world there is full; 

The world here is full; 

Fullness from fullness proceeds. 

After taking fully from the full. 

It still remains completely full. 

“ Brahman is space. The primeval one is space. Space is windy.” This was what 
the son of KauravyayanI used to say. This is the Veda. Brahmins know it. And by 
this I know whatever one must know. 


2 The three kinds of Prajapati ’s children— gods, humans, and demons — once 
lived with their father Prajapati as vedic students. After they had completed 
their studentship, the gods said to him: “Sir, say something to us.” So he told them 
the syllable “Da,” and asked: “Did you understand?” They replied: “Yes, we under- 
stood. You said to us, ‘Demonstrate restraint ( damyata)V " “Yes,” he said, “you 
have understood.” 

2 Then the humans said to him: “Sir, say something to us.” So he told them the 
same syllable “Da,” and asked: “Did you understand?” They replied: “Yes, we un- 
derstood. You said to us, ‘Demonstrate bounty ( datta)V ” “Yes,” he said, “you have 
understood.” 

3 Then the demons said to him: “Sir, say something to us.” So he told them the 
same syllable “Da,” and asked: “Did you understand?” They replied: “Yes, we un- 
derstood. You said to us, ‘Demonstrate compassion ( dayadhvam)V ” “Yes,” he said, 
“you have understood.” 

Thunder, that divine voice, repeats the very same syllable: “Da/ Da! Da !” — 
Demonstrate restraint! Demonstrate bounty! Demonstrate compassion! One should 
observe the same triad — restraint, bounty, and compassion. 

3 Hrdayam, the heart — it is Prajapati; it is brahman ; it is the Whole. This word 
hr.da.yam is made up of three syllables. Hr is one syllable. To a man who 
knows this his own people, as well as others, bring gifts (hr-). Da is another sylla- 
ble. To a man who knows this his own people, as well as others, give gifts (da-). 
Yam is the third syllable. A man who knows this goes («-) to heaven. 


133 



5 . 4.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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f#H f^RTFlW 3HH# ^ M sT^rfrT I Hr# 

l^TsT^r ll?ll 

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o o ' 

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HHW: I HraiRHt f#cR~: I cTHH RTW HiHHT HHT HrH: 1 1? 1 1 

<3 

1 1 ffcT HH# HIHFTH 1 1 


134 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


5.8.1 


4 Clearly, that is itself, and that was just this, namely, the real ( satyam ) itself. 

“Brahman is the real (satyam)" — a man who knows this immense and first- 
born divine being in this manner conquers these worlds. “ Brahman is the real 
(satyam)” — a man who knows this immense and firstborn divine being in this man- 
ner, would he ever be conquered himself? For brahman is simply the real. 

5 In the beginning only the waters were here. Those waters created the real 
(satyam), the real created brahman, that is, Prajapati, and Prajapati created the 
gods. The gods venerated only the real ( satyam ), which word is made up of three 
syllables — sa, ti, and yam. Sa is one syllable, ti is another, and yam is the third. The 
first and the last syllables constitute the real, while the middle syllable is the unreal. 
So the unreal is trapped on both sides by the real and becomes completely united 
with the real. The unreal does not injure a man who knows this. 

2 Now, the real is the same as that sun up there. The person there within that orb 
and the person here in the right eye are both based on each other. That one is based 
on this one through the rays, while this one is based on that one through the vital 
functions (prana ). So, when a man is about to die, he sees that orb in all its clarity, 
and those rays do not confront him. 

3 The word bhur (“earth”) is the head of the person there within that orb — there 
is one head, and there is one syllable here. The word bhuvas (“intermediate region”) 
is his arms — there are two arms, and there are two syllables here. The word svar 
(=su.ar, “sky”) is his feet — there are two feet, and there are two syllables here. His 
hidden name (upanisad) is ahar (“day”). A man who knows this strikes down 
(hati-) and gets rid of (ha-) evil. 

4 The word bhur (“earth”) is the head of the person here in the right eye — there 
is one head, and there is one syllable here. The word bhuvas (“intermediate region”) 
is his arms — there are two arms, and there are two syllables here. The word svar 
(“sky”) is his feet — there are two feet, and there are two syllables here. His hidden 
name (upanisad) is aham (“I”). A man who knows this strikes down (han-) and gets 
rid of (ha-) evil. 

6 This person here is made of mind and consists of light. Lodged here deep 
within the heart, he is like a grain of rice or barley; he is the lord of all, the 
ruler of all! Over this whole world, over all there is, he rules. 

7 “Brahman is lightning,” they say. Lightning (vidyut) gets its name from cutting 
(vidana). It cuts off (vidyati) from evil a man who knows that brahman is light- 
ning. For brahman is simply lightning. 

8 One should venerate speech as a cow. It has four teats — Svaha, Vasat, Hanta, 
and Svadha. The gods live on two of those teats — Svaha and Vasat. Humans 
live on Hanta, and the ancestors on Svadha. The bull of this cow is the breath, and 
her calf is the mind. 


135 



5.9.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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C\ <3 


136 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


5.13.3 


9 The fire common to all men is the one within a person, the one through which 
the food he eats is digested. It is the crackling of that fire that a man hears 
when he presses his ears shut. When a man is about to die, he no longer hears that 
noise. 


1 D Now, a person, on departing from this world, arrives first at the wind. It 
JL U opens a hole for him there as wide as a cartwheel. He goes up through that 
and arrives at the sun. It opens a hole for him there as wide as a large drum. He goes 
up through that and arrives at the moon. It opens a hole for him there as wide as a 
small drum. He goes up through that and arrives in a world where there are no ex- 
tremes of heat or cold. There he lives for years without end. 


n To suffer from a sickness is surely the highest austerity. And a man who 
knows this wins the highest world. To be taken to the wilderness when one 
is dead is surely the highest austerity. And a man who knows this wins the highest 
world. To be placed on the fire when one is dead is surely the highest austerity. And 
a man who knows this wins the highest world. 


'1 O “Brahman is food,” some say. But that is not so, because food spoils in the 
X ■*— absence of lifebreath (prana). Others say, “ Brahman is lifebreath.” But that 
is not so, because lifebreath withers in the absence of food. It is only when these 
two deities have come together as one that they reach preeminence. It was in this 
connection that Pratrda asked his father: “What good, or even what bad thing, could 
I do for a person who knows this?” Gesturing with his hand, the father replied: 
“Stop, Pratrda! Who will ever reach preeminence by bringing these two together in 
himself?” He then said to Pratrda - “Vi, Ram." Now, vi is food, for all these beings 
are contained (vis-) in food, and ram is the lifebreath, for all these beings rejoice 
(ram-) in the lifebreath. When a man knows this — all beings are contained in him, 
all beings rejoice in him. 


"I O Uktha. The uktha (“ Rgvedic hymn”), clearly, is breath, for breath raises up 
X vJ (uttha-) this whole world. When a man knows this — from him rises (uttha-) 
a son who knows the uktha, and he becomes one with and attains the same world as 
the uktha. 

2 Yajus. The yajus (“Yajurvedic formula”), clearly, is breath, for all these be- 
ings are joined together (yuj-) in breath. When a man knows this — all beings join 
(yuj-) themselves to him to procure supremacy for him, and he becomes one with 
and attains the same world as the yajus. 

2 Saman. The saman (“Samavedic chant”), clearly, is breath, for all these beings 
are united (samyanc) in breath. When a man knows this — all beings unite them- 
selves to him to procure supremacy for him, and he becomes one with and attains 
the same world as the saman. 


137 



5 . 13.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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fq cf^iqw q,=MH qq aft I IM I 

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qiqcflq a4t ferr q w iqcafei^qidqrsqrr ftcftq qqqiwcr I qq 


138 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


5.14.6 


* Ksatra. The ksatra (“ruling power”), clearly, is breath; for the ksatra is, with- 
out question, breath, because breath protects ( tra -) one from injury (ksanilu). When 
a man knows this — he obtains power ( ksatra ) that needs no protection (atra), and he 
becomes one with and attains the same world as the ksatra. 

M There are eight syllables in bhu.mi (“earth”), an.ta.ri.ksa (“intermediate 
region”), and dy.au (= di.au; “sky”). Now, the first foot of the Gayatri verse 
also consists of eight syllables, so this foot of the Gayatri is the same as those. A 
man who knows this foot of the Gayatri in this way wins a territory extending as far 
as these three worlds. 

2 There are eight syllables in r.cah (“Rgvedic verses”), ya.jum.si (“Yajurvedic 
formulas”), and sd.ma.ni (“Samavedic chants”). Now, the second foot of the Gayatri 
verse also consists of eight syllables; so this foot of the Gayatri is the same as those. 
A man who knows this foot of the Gayatri in this way wins a territory extending as 
far as this triple Veda. 

3 There are eight syllables in pra.na (“out-breath”), a.pa.na (“in-breath”), and 
vy.a.na (= vi.a.na, “inter-breath”). Now, the third foot of the Gayatri verse also con- 
sists of eight syllables; so this foot of the Gayatri is the same as those. A man who 
knows this foot of the Gayatri in this way wins a territory extending as far as there 
are living beings. 

Then there is that fourth (turiya) vivid foot of the Gayatri, which is none other 
than the sun blazing beyond the sky. The term turiya means the same thing as 
“fourth” ( caturtha ). “Vivid foot” — for the sun is in some way visible. “Beyond the 
sky” — for the sun blazes far beyond the entire expanse of the sky. A man who 
knows this foot of the Gayatri in this way will likewise blaze with splendor and 
fame. 

4 The Gayatri verse is based on that fourth and vivid foot beyond the sky. That 
foot, in its turn, is based on truth. Now, truth is sight. For, truth is without question 
sight, and because of that if two people come here now arguing with each other, the 
one saying, “I saw” and the other saying, “I heard,” the one we would trust is the 
man who says that he saw. Truth, in its turn, is based on strength. Strength, clearly, 
is breath and is based on breath. Therefore, people say that strength is more power- 
ful than truth. In this way the Gayatri is based on what is within the body (at man). 
So the Gayatri protects (tra-) one’s wealth (gay a). Clearly, one’s wealth is one’s 
breaths; so it protects the breaths. It got the name “Gayatri” because it protects 
(tra-) one’s wealth (gaya). And it is the same as the Savitri that one recites. When 
one recites it on behalf of someone, it protects that person's breaths. 

5 Now, there are some who recite this Savitri as an Anustubh verse, and they 
argue: “This way what we recite is speech, because the Anustubh is speech.” But 
one should not do so. One should recite the Savitri only as a Gayatri verse. 

Even if a man who knows this receives a large gift of some sort, it would not 
equal even a single foot of the Gayatri. 6 If someone were to receive a gift of these 
three worlds filled to capacity, he would have obtained its first foot. If someone 
were to receive a gift as extensive as the triple Veda, he would have obtained its 


139 



5 . 14.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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140 



Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


5.15.1 


second foot. And if someone were to receive a gift extending as far as there are liv- 
ing beings, he would have obtained its third foot. Then there is that fourth vivid foot 
of the Gayatri, which is none other than the sun blazing beyond the sky. And no one 
can obtain that. From where indeed can one receive a gift as extensive as that? 7 This 
is the worship of Gayatri: 

You are one-footed, Gayatri! You are two-footed! 

You are three-footed! You are four-footed! 

You are without feet! For you do not walk! 

Homage to your fourth foot, 
to your vivid foot, 
beyond the sky! 

When someone worships in this way, he may direct it against someone he hates, 
saying: “May so-and-so not obtain that!” or “May the desire of so-and-so not come 
to pass” — and the desire of the man, against whom he directed his worship, will not 
come to pass. Or he may say: “May I obtain that!” 

8 In this connection, Janaka, the king of Videha, once said to Budila Asva- 
tarasvi: “Hey! Did you not claim to know the Gayatri? So how is it that you have 
turned yourself into an elephant that is dragging loads?” He replied: “But I did not 
know its mouth, Your Majesty.” Its mouth is just the fire. So however much one 
may put into a fire, it burns up all of that. Likewise, however many bad things a 
man who knows this may do, he eats up all of that and emerges clean and pure, free 
from aging and death. 



The face of truth is covered 
with a golden dish. 

Open it, O Pusan, for me, 

a man faithful to the truth. 
Open it, O Pusan, for me to see. 

0 Pusan, sole seer! 

Yama! Sun! Son of Prajapati! 
Spread out your rays! 

Draw in your light! 

1 see your fairest form. 

That person up there, 

I am he! 

The never-resting is the wind, 
the immortal! 

Ashes are this body’s lot. 

OM! 

Mind, remember the deed! 
Remember! 

Mind, remember the deed! 
Remember! 


141 



5.15.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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142 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.1.9 


O Fire, you know all coverings; 

O god, lead us to riches, 
along an easy path. 

Keep the sin that angers 
far away from us; 

And the highest song of praise 
we shall offer to you! 

ADHYAYA 6 

I When a man knows the best and the greatest, he becomes the best and the 
greatest among his own people. The best and the greatest is breath. When a 
man knows this, he becomes the best and the greatest among his own people and, if 
he so desires, even among others. 

2 When a man knows the most excellent, he becomes the most excellent among 
his people. The most excellent is speech. When a man knows this, he becomes the 
most excellent among his own people and, if he so desires, even among others. 

3 When a man knows the firm base, he stands firm both on flat land and on rug- 
ged terrain. The firm base is sight, for on flat land, as on rugged terrain, one stands 
firm by means of sight. When a man knows this, he stands firm both on flat land 
and on rugged terrain. 

4 When a man knows the correspondence ( sarnpad ), whatever he desires is ful- 
filled ( sampad -) for him. Correspondence (sampad) is hearing, for all these Vedas 
congregate {sampad-) in one’s hearing. When a man knows this, whatever he de- 
sires is fulfilled for him. 

5 When a man knows the refuge, he becomes a refuge for his people and a ref- 
uge for the common folk. The refuge is the mind. When a man knows this, he 
becomes a refuge for his people and a refuge for the common folk. 

6 When a man knows fecundity, he becomes fecund in offspring and in live- 
stock. Fecundity is the semen. When a man knows this, he becomes fecund in 
offspring and in livestock. 

7 Once these vital functions (prana ) were arguing about who among them was 
the greatest. So they went to brahman and asked: “Who is the most excellent of 
us?” He replied: “The one, after whose departure you consider the body to be the 
worst off, is the most excellent among you.” 

8 So speech departed. After spending a year away, it came back and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the dumb 
would, without speaking with speech, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the 
eye, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind, and fathering with semen.” So 
speech reentered. 

9 Then sight departed. After spending a year away, it came back and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the blind 
would, without seeing with the eye, but breathing with the breath, speaking with 
speech, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind, and fathering with semen.” So 
sight reentered. 


143 



6 . 1.10 


The Early JJpanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


6.2.2 


l°Then hearing departed. After spending a year away, it came back and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the deaf 
would, without hearing with the ear, but breathing with the breath, speaking with 
speech, seeing with the eye, thinking with the mind, and fathering with semen.” So 
hearing reentered. 

11 Then the mind departed. After spending a year away, it came back and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as simpletons 
would, without thinking with the mind, but breathing with the breath, speaking with 
speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and fathering with semen.” So the 
mind reentered. 

1 2 Then the semen departed. After spending a year away, it came back and 
asked: “How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the 
impotent would, without fathering with semen, but breathing with the breath, 
speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with 
the mind.” So the semen reentered. 

13 Then, as the breath was about to depart, it uprooted those vital functions 
(prana), as a mighty Indus horse would uproot the stakes to which it is tethered. 
They implored: “Lord, please do not depart! We will not be able to live without 
you.” He told them: “If that’s so, offer a tribute to me.” “We will,” they replied. 

14 So speech declared: “As I am the most excellent, so you will be the most ex- 
cellent.” Sight declared: “As I am the firm base, so you will be the firm base.” 
Hearing declared: “As I am correspondence, so you will be correspondence.” The 
mind declared: “As I am the refuge, so you will be the refuge.” The semen declared: 
“As I am fecundity, so you will be fecundity.” 

Breath then asked: “What will be my food and my clothing?” 

“Everything that is here is your food, right down to dogs, worms, insects, and 
flies, and water is your clothing.” 

When a man knows in this way that breath (ana) is food (anna )— nothing he 
eats becomes an improper food, nothing he accepts becomes an improper food. 
Therefore, wise and learned people sip some water both when they are preparing to 
eat and after they have eaten, thinking that they are thus making sure that breath 
(ana) is not left naked (anagna). 

2 Svetaketu, the son of Aruni, came one day into the assembly of the land of 
Pancala and approached Jaivali Pravahana while people were waiting upon 
him. Seeing Svetaketu, he said: “Son!” Svetaketu replied: “Sir?” Jaivali asked: “Did 
your father teach you?” Svetaketu replied: “Yes.” 

2 “Do you know how people, when they die, go by different paths?” 

“No,” he replied. 

“Do you know how they return to this world?” 

“No,” he replied. 

“Do you know how the world beyond is not filled up, even as more and more 
people continuously go there?” 

“No,” he replied. 


145 



6 . 2.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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146 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.2.10 


“Do you know the oblation at whose offering the water, taking on a human 
voice, rises up and speaks?” 

“No,” he replied. 

“Do you know the access to the path to the gods or the path to the fathers — that 
is, what one must do to get on the path to the gods or on the path to the fathers? For 
have you not heard the seer’s words? — 

Two paths mortals have, I’ve heard: 
the paths to fathers and to gods. 

By these travel all that live 
between the earth and sky. 

“I don’t know the answer to any of these,” he replied. 

3 Then Jaivali invited him to stay. Disregarding the invitation, the boy ran off. 
He went back to his father and said: “Well, well! And to think that you once told me 
I was well educated!” 

“What’s the matter, my clever boy?” 

“That excuse for a prince asked me five questions, and I didn’t know the an- 
swer to a single one of them.” 

“What were they?” 

“These,” he said and repeated them briefly. 

4 The father replied: “You know me, son. I have taught you everything I know. 
Come, let us both go there and live as students.” 

“You, sir, can go on your own.” 

Gautama then came to Pravahana Jaivali’s place. Jaivali gave him a seat and 
had some water brought for him. Then he presented him with the refreshments due 
to an honored guest and said: “We will grant a wish to the Reverend Gautama.” 

5 Gautama said in reply: “Now that you have promised to grant me a wish, tell 
me what you told my boy.” 

6 “But that, Gautama, is in the category of divine wishes,” responded Jaivali. 
“Why don’t you make a wish of a human sort?” 

7 Gautama replied: “As you know, I have my share of gold, cows, horses, slave 
girls, blankets, and clothes. Do not be stingy, your honor, in giving me more than 
that — in giving me the infinite and the boundless.” 

“Then, Gautama, you will have to request it in the correct manner.” 

“I come to you, my lord, as a pupil.” 

With just these words did the people of old place themselves as pupils under a 
teacher. And Gautama lived there openly as a pupil. 8 Jaivali then told him: 

“As before now this knowledge has not resided in any Brahmin, so may you, 
Gautama, or your grandfathers not cause us harm. But I will tell it to you, for who 
can refuse you when you speak like that. 

9 “A fire — that’s what the world up there is, Gautama. Its firewood is the sun; 
its smoke is the sunbeams; its flame is the day; its embers are the quarters; and its 
sparks are the intermediate quarters. In that very fire gods offer faith, and from that 
offering springs King Soma. 

10 “A fire — that’s what a rain cloud is, Gautama. Its firewood is the year; its 
smoke is the thunderclouds; its flame is lightning; its embers are thunder; and its 


147 



The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.3.1 


sparks are hail. In that very fire gods offer King Soma, and from that offering 
springs rain. 

1 1 “A fire — that’s what this world down here is, Gautama. Its firewood is the 
earth; its smoke is the fire; its flame is the night; its embers are the moon; and its 
sparks are the constellations. In that very fire gods offer rain, and from that offering 
springs food. 

12 “A fire — that’s what a man is, Gautama. His firewood is the open mouth; his 
smoke is breath; his flame is speech; his embers are sight; and his sparks are hear- 
ing. In that very fire gods offer food, and from that offering springs semen. 

1 3 “A fire — that’s what a woman is, Gautama. Her firewood is the vulva; her 
smoke is the pubic hair; her flame is the vagina; when one penetrates her, that is her 
embers; and her sparks are the climax. In that very fire gods offer semen, and from 
that offering springs a man. 

“He remains alive for as long as he lives, and when he finally dies, l 4 they offer 
him in the fire. Of that fire, the fire is the fire itself; the firewood is the firewood; 
the smoke is the smoke; the flame is the flame; the embers are the embers; and the 
sparks are the sparks. In that very fire gods offer man, and from that offering 
springs a man of brilliant color. 

1 5 “The people who know this, and the people there in the wilderness who ven- 
erate truth as faith — they pass into the flame, from the flame into the day, from the 
day into the fortnight of the waxing moon, from the fortnight of the waxing moon 
into the six months when the sun moves north, from these months into the world of 
the gods, from the world of the gods into the sun, and from the sun into the region 
of lightning. A person consisting of mind comes to the regions of lightning and 
leads him to the worlds of brahman. These exalted people live in those worlds of 
brahman for the longest time. They do not return. 

16 “The people who win heavenly worlds, on the other hand, by offering sacri- 
fices, by giving gifts, and by performing austerities — they pass into the smoke, from 
the smoke into the night, from the night into the fortnight of the waning moon, from 
the fortnight of the waning moon into the six months when the sun moves south, 
from these months into the world of the fathers, and from the world of the fathers 
into the moon. Reaching the moon they become food. There, the gods feed on them, 
as they tell King Soma, the moon; ‘Increase! Decrease!’ When that ends, they pass 
into this very sky, from the sky into the wind, from the wind into the rain, and from 
the rain into the earth. Reaching the earth, they become food. They are again offered 
in the fire of man and then take birth in the fire of woman. Rising up once again to 
the heavenly worlds, they circle around in the same way. 

“Those who do not know these two paths, however, become worms, insects, or 
snakes.” 

3 “I want to attain greatness” — when a man entertains such a wish, he should do 

the following. To begin with he should perform the preparatory rites for twelve 

days. Then, on an auspicious day falling within a fortnight of the waxing moon 
during the northern movement of the sun, he should collect every type of herb and 
fruit in a fig-wood dish or a metal bowl. After sweeping around the place of the 


149 



6 . 3.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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150 



Brhadaranyaka JJpanisad 


6.3.3 


sacred fire and smearing it with cow dung, he should kindle the fire, spread the sac- 
rificial grass, prepare the ghee according to the usual procedure, make the mixture 
under a male constellation, and pour an offering of ghee into the fire, saying: 

Those stumbling blocks within you, O Fire, 

The gods who frustrate man’s desires; 

I offer a share to them! 

May they be satisfied! 

May they satisfy my every desire! 

Svaha! 

And she who lies there as a stumbling block, 
thinking, ‘I arrange everything!’ 

You are a true conciliator! 

I offer streams of ghee to you! 

Svaha!” 

2 He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the best, svaha! To the 
greatest, svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] 
“To the breath, svaha!” 

He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the most excellent, 
svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] “To 
speech, svaha!” 

He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the firm base, svaha!” and 
pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] “To sight, svaha!” 

He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To correspondence, svaha!” 
and pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] “To hearing, 
svaha!” 

He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the refuge, svaha!” and 
pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] “To the mind, 
svaha!” 

He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To fecundity, svaha!” and 
pours the remainder into the mixture. [What is meant here is:] “To semen, svaha!” 

In this way, every time he makes an offering of ghee in the fire he pours the 
remainder into the mixture. 

3 He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the fire, svaha!” and 
pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, say- 
ing: “To Soma, svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an of- 
fering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Earth! Svaha!” and pours the remainder into the 
mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Intermediate region! 
Svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in 
the fire, saying: “Sky! Svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes 
an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Earth! Intermediate region! Sky! Svaha!” 
and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, 
saying: “To priestly power, svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He 
makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To royal power, svaha!” and pours 
the remainder into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: 


151 



1 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6 . 3.9 


“To what has been, svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an 
offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To what will be, svaha!” and pours the remain- 
der into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the All, 
svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. He makes an offering of ghee in 
the fire, saying: “To the Whole, svaha!” and pours the remainder into the mixture. 
He makes an offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “To Prajapati, svaha!” and pours 
the remainder into the mixture. 

4 Then he touches the mixture, saying: “You are the fluttering! You are the 
glittering! You are the full! You are the steady! You are the only meeting place! 
You are the chanted him, and you are the chanting of him. You are the chanted 
High Chant and you are chanting of the High Chant. You are one priest’s call for 
the gods to hear, and you are the other priest’s assent that the gods should hear. You 
are the flash in the cloud. You are the mighty. You are the lord. You are food. You 
are the light. You are the end. You are the gatherer.” 

5 Then he lifts up the mixture, saying: “You are power; your power is in me. 
For he is king, lord, and ruler! May he make me king, lord, and ruler!” 

6 Then he sips the mixture, saying: 

On that excellent [glory] ofSavitr 

Honey the winds, honey the streams 
drip on the righteous man. 

Honey-filled may the plants be for us. 

Earth! Svaha! 

glory of god [Savitr] we reflect 

Honey the night, honey the morn, 
honey-filled the earthly expanse; 

Honey may Father Heaven be to us! 

Intermediate region! Svaha! 

that he may stimulate our prayers. 

Honey-filled the tree, honey-filled the sun; 

filled with honey the cows; 

Honey-filled may they be to us! 

Sky! Svaha! 

Then he repeats the entire Savitri verse and all the above verses on honey, and says: 
“May I indeed become this whole world! Earth! Intermediate region! Sky! Svaha!” 
Finally, he sips some water, washes his hands, and lies down behind the fire with 
his head towards the east. In the morning he worships the sun, saying: “You are the 
one lotus among the quarters! May I become the one lotus among men!” Then he 
returns the way he came and, seated behind the fire, silently recites the lineage. 

7 After telling this same thing to his pupil Vajasaneya Yajnavalkya, Uddalaka 
Aruni said: “Even if one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it would 
sprout new branches and grow new leaves.” 

8 After telling this same thing to his pupil Madhuka Paingya, Vajasaneya 
Yajnavalkya said: “Even if one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it 
would sprout new branches and grow new leaves.” 

9 After telling this same thing to his pupil Cula Bhagavitti, Madhuka Paingya 


153 











Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.4.5 


said: “Even if one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it would sprout 
new branches and grow new leaves.” 

l0 After telling this same thing to his pupil Janaki Ayasthuna, Cula Bhagavitti 
said: “Even if one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it would sprout 
new branches and grow new leaves.” 

11 After telling this same thing to his pupil Satyakama Jabala, Janaki Ayasthuna 
said: “Even if one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it would sprout 
new branches and grow new leaves.” 

12 After telling this same thing to his pupils, Satyakama Jabala said: “Even if 
one were to pour this mixture on a withered stump, it would sprout new branches 
and grow new leaves.” 

One should not disclose this to anyone who is not a son or a pupil. 

13 There are four things made of fig wood: fig- wood spoon, fig- wood cup, fig- 
wood kindling stick, and the two fig-wood stirring sticks. There are ten types of 
cultivated grains: rice, barley, sesame, bean, millet, mustard, wheat, lentil, pea, and 
legume. After grinding these, he pours curd, honey, and ghee on them, and offers an 
oblation of ghee. 

4 Of these beings here, the essence is clearly the earth; of the earth, the waters; of 
the waters, the plants; of the plants, the flowers; of the flowers, the fruits; of the 
fruits, man; of man, semen. 

2 Prajapati then thought to himself: “Now, why don’t I prepare a base for that 
semen?” So he created woman and, after creating her, had intercourse with her. A 
man, therefore, should have intercourse with a woman. Prajapati stretched out from 
himself the elongated stone for pressing Soma and impregnated her with it. 

3 Her vulva is the sacrificial ground; her pubic hair is the sacred grass; her labia 
majora are the Soma-press; and her labia minora are the fire blazing at the center. A 
man who engages in sexual intercourse with this knowledge obtains as great a world 
as a man who performs a Soma sacrifice, and he appropriates to himself the merits 
of the women with whom he has sex. The women, on the other hand, appropriate to 
themselves the merits of a man who engages in sexual intercourse with them with- 
out this knowledge. 

4 Surely it was this knowledge that made Uddalaka Aruni exclaim, as also Naka 
Maudgalya and Kumaraharita: “Many are the mortals of Brahmin descent who, en- 
gaging in sexual intercourse without this knowledge, depart this world drained of 
virility and deprived of merit.” 

If one discharges semen, whether it is a little or a lot, in sleep or while awake, 
5 one should touch it and also address it with this formula: 

I retrieve this semen that fell on earth today; 

into water or plants though it may have seeped. 

May I regain my virility, my ardor, my passion; 

let the fire and the fire-mounds each return to its place. 

As he recites this he should take the semen with his thumb and ring finger and 
rub it between his breasts or brows. 


155 








Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.4.13 


6 If, moreover, he sees his reflection in water, let him address it thus: “May 
vigor, virility, fame, wealth, and merit remain in me!” 

Surely, a woman who has changed her clothes at the end of her menstrual pe- 
riod is the most auspicious of women. When she has changed her clothes at the end 
of her menstrual period, therefore, one should approach that splendid woman and 
invite her to have sex. 7 Should she refuse to consent, he should bribe her. If she still 
refuses, he should beat her with a stick or with his fists and overpower her, saying: 
“I take away the splendor from you with my virility and splendor.” And she is sure 
to become bereft of splendor. 8 If, on the other hand, she accedes to his wish, he 
should say: “I confer splendor on you with my virility and splendor.” And then they 
are both sure to become full of splendor. 

9 If he wants her to love him, he should slip his penis into her, press his mouth 
against hers, and stroke her vagina as he softly recites: 

From my body you spring — from every inch! 

Born from my heart, you are my body's pith! 

Make her crazy about me, as if she's been hit 

With a dart carrying a poisoned tip. 

l°If he does not want her to become pregnant, he should slip his penis into her, 
press his mouth against hers, blow into her mouth and suck back the breath, as he 
says: “I take back the semen from you with my virility and semen.” And she is sure 
to become bereft of semen. 

1 1 If, on the other hand, he wants her to become pregnant, he should slip his pe- 
nis into her, press his mouth against hers, suck in the breath first, and then blow it 
back into her mouth, as he says: “I deposit the semen in you with my virility and 
semen.” And she is sure to become pregnant. 

12 In case someone’s wife has a lover whom he hates, this is what he should do. 
He should place some fire in an unbaked pot, spread out a bed of reeds, arranging 
them in a way that is the reverse of the normal, apply ghee to the tips of those reeds, 
again in an order that is the reverse of the normal, and offer them in that fire, as he 
recites: 

In my fire you made an offering! So-and-so, I take away your out-breath 
and your in-breath. 

In my fire you made an offering! So-and-so, I take away your sons and 
livestock. 

In my fire you made an offering! So-and-so, I take away your sacrifices 
and good works. 

In my fire you made an offering! So-and-so, I take away your hopes and 
expectations. 

A man cursed by a Brahmin possessing this knowledge is sure to depart from this 
world bereft of his virility and stripped of his good works. One should, therefore, 
never try to flirt with the wife of a learned Brahmin who knows this, lest one make 
an enemy of a man with this knowledge. 

13 Now, when a man finds that his wife is having her period, he should make 
sure that she does not drink from a metal cup or wear fresh clothes for three days. 
Nor should a low-caste man or woman be allowed to touch her. When the three 


157 



3 


The Early Upanisads 


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158 






Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6 . 4.21 


days are over and she has taken her bath, he should get her to thresh some rice. 14 “I 
want a son with a fair complexion who will master a single Veda and live out his 
full life span” — if this is his wish, he should get her to cook that rice with milk, and 
the two of them should eat it mixed with ghee. The couple thus becomes capable of 
begetting such a son. 

15 “I want a son with a ruddy complexion and tawny eyes who will master two 
Vedas and live out his full life span” — if this is his wish, he should get her to cook 
that rice with curd, and the two of them should eat it mixed with ghee. The couple 
thus becomes capable of begetting such a son. 

16 “I want a son with a dark complexion and reddish eyes who will master three 
Vedas and live out his full life span” — if this is his wish, he should get her to cook 
that rice in water and the two of them should eat it mixed with ghee. The couple 
thus becomes capable of begetting such a son. 

17 “I want a learned daughter who will live out her full life span” — if this is his 
wish, he should get her to cook that rice with sesame seeds and the two of them 
should eat it mixed with ghee. The couple thus becomes capable of begetting such a 
daughter. 

1® “I want a learned and famous son, a captivating orator assisting at councils, 
who will master all the Vedas and live out his full life span” — if this is his wish, he 
should get her to cook that rice with meat and the two of them should eat it mixed 
with ghee. The couple thus becomes capable of begetting such a son. The meat may 
be that of a young or a fully grown bull. 

19 Then, toward morning, following the same ritual procedure as at the cooking 
of the pot of milk-rice, he should prepare melted butter and offer portions from the 
pot of milk-rice in the fire, saying: “To fire, svaha! To assent, svaha! To the divine 
Savitr, faithful in procreation, svaha!” After making these offerings, he takes the 
rest out and, after first eating himself, gives some to his partner. After washing his 
hands, he fills a pot with water and sprinkles her with it three times, saying: 

Get up, Visvavasu, and leave this place; 

Find yourself some other luscious girl. 

This wife is here with her husband. 

20 Then he embraces her, as he says: 

I am ama, you are sa — you are sa, I am ama. 

I am the Saman chant, you are the Rg verse; 

I am the sky, you are the earth. 

Come, let us unite, 
deposit the seed, 
to get a son, 
a male child. 

21 Then he spreads apart her thighs, saying: “Spread apart, earth and sky.” He slips 
his penis into her, presses his mouth against hers, and strokes her three times in the 
direction of her hair, as he says: 

May Visnu prepare your womb, 
and Tvastr mold the forms; 


159 



6 . 4.21 


The Early Upanisads 


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w; ft# Mr wfrMr irmi 


160 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6 . 4.25 


May Prajapati impregnate you, 
and Dhatr lay the fetus in you. 

Lay the fetus, Sinivali, 

lay the fetus, you with broad plaits. 

Lay the fetus, you two Asvins, 

lay the fetus, you two with lotus wreaths. 

22 The golden fire-drills with which 
the Asvins churned the fire; 

That I invoke as the fetus for you, 

• for delivery in the tenth month. 

As fire lies a fetus in the earth, 
and rain in the sky; 

As the wind is the fetus 
of the cardinal points; 

So I place this fetus in you, So-and-so. 

23 As she is about to deliver, he sprinkles her with water, saying: 

As from all sides the wind chums a lotus pond, 
so may your fetus stir and 
come out with the afterbirth. 

This stall with lock and fence is Indra’s handiwork — 
expel it, Indra, 
with the fetus and afterbirth. 

24 When a boy is born, he should kindle the fire, place the baby on his lap, mix 
curd and milk in a metal bowl, and offer spoonfuls of that mixture in the fire, say- 
ing: 

In this boy may I prosper a thousandfold 
and thrive in my own house. 

Rich in offspring and livestock, 

may disaster never strike his line. 

Svaha! 

The breaths in me 
I offer in you 
with my mind. 

Svaha! 

If in this rite I did too much of this, 
or too little of that; 

May the wise fire, the rectifier of rites, 
make ours well done. 

Svaha! 

25 He then draws close to the baby’s right ear and says three times: “Speech! 
Speech!” Next, he feeds the baby a mixture of curd, honey, and ghee with a golden 
spoon without putting it inside the mouth, as he says: “The earth I place in you! The 
intermediate region I place in you! The sky I place in you! Earth, intermediate re- 
gion, sky — the Whole I place in you!” 


161 



6 . 4.26 


The Early Upanisads 


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Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.5.3 


26 He then gives a name to the baby, with the words: “You are the Veda!” It be- 
comes the child’s secret name. 27 He then hands him to the mother and gives him 
her breast, saying: 

Your refreshing breast, Sarasvatl, that ever flows, 
giving riches, finding treasures, granting gifts; 

The breast with which you nourish all you choose, 
give it here for him to suck. 

28 Then he says to the baby’s mother: 

You are Ila, in the family of Mitra and V aruna; 
you have borne a hero, O heroine. 

You’ve made me the father of a hero; 
mother of heroes may you be! 

People say of such a son: “Bravo, you have surpassed your father! Bravo, you 
have surpassed your grandfather! A man who is born as the son of a Brahmin with 
this knowledge has surely reached the very pinnacle of prosperity and fame, the 
pinnacle of eminence in sacred knowledge.” 


5 Now the lineage: 

The son of Pautimasi from the son of KatyayanI; the son of KatyayanI from 
the son of GautamI; the son of GautamI from the son of Bharadvaji; the son of 
Bharadvaji from the son of Parasarl; the son of Parasarl from the son of Aupas- 
vasti;the son of Aupasvasti from the son of Parasarl; the son of Parasarl from the 
son of KatyayanI; the son of KatyayanI from the son of KausikI; the son of KausikI 
from the son of AlambI and from the son of VaiyaghrapadI; the son of 
VaiyaghrapadI from the son of Kanvi and the son of KapI; the son of KapI 2 from the 
son of Atreyl; the son of Atreyl from the son of GautamI; the son of GautamI from 
the son of Bharadvaji; the son of Bharadvaji from the son of Parasarl; the son of 
Parasarl from the son of VatsI; the son of Vats! from the son of Parasarl; the son of 
Parasarl from the son of VarkarunI; the son of VarkarunI from the son of VarkarunI; 
the son of VarkarunI from the son of ArtabhagI; the son of ArtabhagI from the son 
of Saungl; the son of Saungl from the son of SamkrtI; the son of SamkrtI from the 
son of AlambayanI; the son of AlambayanI from the son of AlambI; the son of 
AlambI from the son of JayantI; the son of JayantI from the son of MandukayanI; 
the son of MandukayanI from the son of MandukI; the son of MandukI from the son 
of Sandill; the son of Sandill from the son of Rathltarl; the son of Rathltarl from the 
son of BhalukI; the son of BhalukI from the two sons of KrauncikI; the two sons of 
KrauncikI from the son of VaidabhrtI; the son of VaidabhrtI from the son of 
Karsakeyi; the son of Karsakeyl from the son of Praclnayogl; the son of Praclnayogl 
from the son of SanjivI; the son of Sanjlvl from Asurivasin, the son of Prasnl: the 
son of Prasnl from Asurayana; Asurayana from Asuri; Asuri 3 from Yajnavalkya; 
Yajnavalkya from Uddalaka; Uddalka from Aruna; Aruna from Upavesi; Upavesi 
from Kusri; Kusri from Vajasravas; Vajasravas from Jihvavat Badhyoga; Jihvavat 


163 



6 . 5.3 


The Early Upanisads 



Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


6.5.4 


Badhyoga from Asita Varsagana; Asita Varsagana from Harita Kasyapa; Harita 
Kasyapa from Silpa Kasyapa; Silpa Kasyapa from Kasyapa Naidhruvi; Kasyapa 
Naidhruvi from Vac (speech); Vac from AmbhinI; AmbhinI from Aditya (sun). 

These white Yajurvedic formulas coming from the sun have been proclaimed 
by Vajasaneya Yajnavalkya. 

4 The lineage up to the son of Sanjlvi is the same. 

The son of Sanjlvi from Mandukayani; Mandukayani from Mandavya; 
Mandavya from Kautsa; Kautsa from Mahitthi; Mahitthi from Vamakaksayana; 
Vamakaksayana from Sandilya; Sandilya from Vatsya; Vatsya from Kusri; Kusri 
from Yajnavacas Rajastambayana; Yajiiavacas Rajastambayana from Tura Kava- 
seya; Tura Kavaseya from Prajapati; Prajapati from Brahman. Brahman is self- 
existent. Homage to Brahman! 


The end of the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad. 



TWO 


Chandogya Upanisad 


The Chandogya (the Upanisad of “the singers of the Samaveda,” i.e., the Udgatr 
priest) is a section of the Chandogya Brahmana belonging to the Tandya school of 
the Samaveda. Like the Brhadaranyaka, the Chandogya is the work of an editor or a 
series of editors who created an anthology of passages and stories that must have 
previously existed as separate texts. The unifying theme, if there is one, of the Upa- 
nisad is the speculation regarding the cosmic and ritual correspondences of the 
Saman (the Samavedic chant in the Soma sacrifice: see CU 2.2.1 n.) and especially 
of the High Chant (UdgTtha), the central element of a Saman. The preoccupation 
with these chants is consistent with the fact that the authors were Samavedic priests. 
In a similar fashion, the works of the Rgveda speculate on the Uktha (AA 2.3.1, 4), 
the Rgvedic recitation (BU 1.6. 1 n.), and the Brhadaranyaka begins with the parts of 
a horse, consistent again with the fact that the Adhvaryu, the Yajurvedic priest, is in 
charge of butchering the sacrificial animal. The fact that the Chandogya and the 
Brhadaranyaka include versions of identical passages and stories indicates that the 
editors of both have drawn from a common stock of Upanisadic lore. 


CONTENTS 


1 


1 High Chant identified with OM, the essence of all 

2 Contest between gods and demons using the High Chant 

2.2-14 Breath within the mouth as the true High Chant 

3 Cosmic correspondences of the High Chant 

4-5 High Chant as OM 

6-7 Cosmic and bodily correspondences of Rg, Saman, and 

High Chant 


166 



Chandogya Upanisad 


8-9 

9.1-3 

10-11 

12 

13 


1 

2-7 

8 

9-10 

11-21 

22 

23.1 

23.2-3 

24 


l-l 1 

1-5 

6-10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16-17 


J- U. J. 
18.2-6 


1-3 

4-9 

10-15 

10-14 

15 

16-17 


Dialogue between Pravahana and two Brahmins on the 
High Chant 
High Chant as Space 

Story of Usasti: High Chant identified with breath, sun, and 
food 

High Chant of dogs 

Correspondences of interjections in Samans 


Veneration of Saman 

Cosmic and bodily correspondences of the fivefold Saman 
The sevenfold Saman as speech 
The sevenfold Saman as the sun 

Cosmic and bodily correspondences of the fivefold Saman 
Ways of singing and pronouncing a Saman 
Contrast between Law ( dharma ) and brahman 
Creation of Vedas and OM by Prajapati 
The way to secure the reward of Soma offerings 


Sun as honey 

Honey of sun extracted from all forms of sacred 
knowledge 

Different classes of gods subsist on parts of that honey 
Sun that does not set 
Gayatrl as the whole universe 
Five openings of the heart: their cosmic and bodily 
correspondences 

Brahman as one’s self within the heart 
The universe compared to a chest 
The sacrifice compared to the life span and activities of a 
man 

Brahman as mind and space 

Vital functions as the four quarters of brahman 


Story of Janasruti and Raikva: doctrine of wind and breath 
as gatherers 

Story of Satyakama Jabala: the four quarters of brahman 
Story of Upakosala 

Correspondences of the three sacred fires 
Self as the person in the eye 

Work of the Brahman priest in rectifying sacrificial errors 


167 



Chanclogya Upanisad 


5 



1-2 

Contest among vital functions 


1-2.3 

Superiority of breath 


2.4-9 

Offerings to vital functions to obtain something great 


3-10 

Pravahaia’s questions to Svetaketu and instruction of 
Uddalaka 


4-9 

Doctrine of five fires and transmigration 


10 

The two paths of the dead — to gods and to fathers 


11-24 

Asvapati’s instruction on the self and brahman 


12-17 

Rejection of the identity of cosmic entities and the self 


18 

Description of the self 


19-24 

Offering of food in the five breaths 

6 


Dialogue between Uddalaka and his son, Svetaketu 


1.3-7 

Rule of substitution which makes known the unknown 


2 

Creation comes from the existent 


3 

Three origins of creatures 


4 

Three appearances of things: red, white, and black 


5-6 

The three parts of food and drink that form various 
bodily parts 


7 

The sixteen parts of man 


8.1-2 

The nature of sleep 


8.3-6 

The existent as the root of man 


8.7-16.3 

The true nature of the self 

7 


Sanatkumara instructs Narada 


1-15 

Progressively greater realities from name to lifebreath 


16-23 

The need to perceive activities from thinking to plenitude 


24-26 

Correspondence between plenitude and self 

8 

1-6 

The space within the heart as containing all things 


1 

The self free from old age and death 


2 

Securing wishes by mere thought 


3 

Brahman as the real 


4 

Self as a dike dividing this world from the world of 
brahman 


5 

Praise of the student life 


6 

The veins in the heart 


7-12 

Prajapati instructs Indra and Virocana on the true self 


7-8 

Self as physical appearance 


9-10 

Self as the person in dream 


168 



Chandogya Upanisad 


1 1 Self as the person in deep sleep 

12 The true self 

13-15 Glorification of the perfected self 


169 





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170 



ADHYAYA 1 


I OM — one should venerate the High Chant as this syllable, for one begins the 
High Chant with OM. Here is a further explanation of that syllable. 

2 The essence of these beings here is the earth; the essence of the earth is the 
waters; the essence of the waters is plants; the essence of plants is man; the essence 
of man is speech; the essence of speech is the Rg verse; the essence of the Rg verse 
is the Saman chant; the essence of the Saman chant is the High Chant. 2 3 * * * This High 
Chant is the quintessence of all essences; it is the highest, the ultimate, the eighth. 

4 What ultimately is the Rg verse? What ultimately is the Saman chant? What 
ultimately is the High Chant? These questions have been the subject of critical in- 
quiry. 

5 The Rg is nothing but speech; the Saman is breath; and the High Chant is this 
syllable OM. Speech and breath, the Rg and the Saman — each of these sets, clearly, 
is a pair in coitus. 

6 This pair in coitus unites in the syllable OM, and when a pair unites in coitus, 
they satisfy each other’s desire. 7 So, when someone knows this and venerates the 
High Chant as this syllable, he will surely become a man who satisfies desires. 

8 Clearly, this syllable signifies assent, for one says “OM” when one assents to 
something. And assent is nothing but fulfillment. So, when someone knows this and 
venerates the High Chant as this syllable, he will surely become a man who fulfills 
desires. 

9 It is by means of this syllable that the triple Veda continues — the Adhvaryu 
priest says “OM” before he issues a call; the Hotr says “OM” before he makes an 
invocation; and the Udgatr says “OM” before he sings the High Chant. They do so 
to honor this very syllable, because of its greatness and because it is the essence. 

10 Those who know this and those who do not both perform these rites using 
this syllable. But knowledge and ignorance are two very different things. Only what 
is performed with knowledge, with faith, and with an awareness of the hidden con- 
nections ( upanisad ) becomes truly potent. 

Now, then — that was a further explanation of this very syllable. 


2 Once, when the gods and the demons, both children of Prajapati, arrayed them- 

selves against each other, the gods got hold of the High Chant. “With this we 

will overpower them,” they thought. 

2 So they venerated the High Chant as the breath within the nostrils. The de- 

mons riddled it with evil. As a result, one smells with it both good and bad odors, 

for it is riddled with evil. 


171 



1.2.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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172 




Chandogya Upanisad 


1.3.4 


3 Then they venerated the High Chant as speech. The demons riddled it with 
evil. As a result, one speaks with it both what is true and what is false, for it is rid- 
dled with evil. 

4 Then they venerated the High Chant as sight. The demons riddled it with evil. 
As a result one sees with it both what is good to see and what is not, for it is riddled 
with evil. 

5 Then they venerated the High Chant as hearing. The demons riddled it with 
evil. As a result, one hears with it both what is good to hear and what is not, for it is 
riddled with evil. 

6 Then they venerated the High Chant as the mind. The demons riddled it with 
evil. As a result, one envisages with it both what is good to envisage and what is 
not, for it is riddled with evil. 

7 Finally, they venerated the High Chant as just this breath here within the 
mouth. And when the demons hurled themselves at it, they were smashed to bits 
like a clod of earth hurled against a target that is a rock. 3 * * * * 8 And if anyone contem- 
plates evil against or hurts a person who knows this, he will be smashed to bits like 
a clod hurled against a target that is a rock. That person is a rock target. 9 * * One never 
recognizes with this breath either good or bad odors, for it is free from evil. There- 
fore, whenever one eats or drinks, one nourishes thereby the other vital functions 
{prana). When, at the end, one fails to find it, one departs; indeed, at the end one 
leaves the mouth wide open. 

10 Angiras venerated the High Chant as that breath. People consider Angiras to 
be just that, because it is the essence (rasa) of the bodily parts ( anga ). 1 ] Brhaspati 
venerated the High Chant as that breath. People consider Brhaspati to be just that, 
because speech is great (brhatl) and it is the lord (pati) of speech. 12 Ayasya vener- 
ated the High Chant as that breath. People consider Ayasya to be just that, because 
it proceeds ( ayate ) from the mouth (asya). I3 Then Baka Dalbhya came to know 
that. He became the Udgatr priest of the people of Naimisa and secured their desires 
for them through his singing. 14 And, indeed, when someone knows this and vener- 
ates the High Chant as this syllable, he, too, will become a man who secures desires 
through singing. 

All that was with respect to the body (atmari). 


3 What follows is with respect to the divine sphere. One should venerate the 

High Chant as the sun up there that gives warmth. As it rises ( udyan ), it sings 

the High Chant ( udgayati ) for the creatures. As it rises, it dispels darkness and fear. 

Anyone who knows this is sure to become a man who dispels fear and darkness. 

2 This breath in here and that sun up there are exactly the same. This is warm, 

and so is that. People call this sound (svara), and they call that shine (svara) and 

shining back (pratyasvara ). Therefore, one should venerate the High Chant as both 

this here and that up there. 

3 Now, then, one should venerate the High Chant as just the inter-breath. When 

one breathes out, it is the out-breath; when one breathes in, it is the in-breath. And 

the inter-breath is where the out-breath and the in-breath meet. The inter-breath is 

the same as speech. One speaks, therefore, without breathing out or in. 4 Speech is 


173 



1 . 3.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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174 



Chandogya Upanisad 


1.5.1 


the same as the Rg verse. One recites a Rg verse, therefore, without breathing out or 
in. The Rg verse is the same as the Saman chant. One sings a Saman chant, there- 
fore, without breathing out or in. The Saman chant is the same as the High Chant. 
One sings the High Chant, therefore, without breathing out or in. 5 * Even activities 
other than these, activities that require strength, such as churning a fire, running a 
race, and stretching a strong bow, are performed without breathing out or in. For 
this reason, one should venerate the High Chant as just the inter-breath. 

6 Now, then, one should venerate the syllables of the word udgltha — High 
Chant — namely ud, gl, and tha. The syllable ud is simply breath, for people rise up 
(ud-stha-) by means of breath; the syllable gl is speech, for speech utterances are 
called words (gir)\ and the syllable tha is food, for this whole world rests ( sthita ) on 
food. 7 The syllable ud, likewise, is the sky, gf is the intermediate region, and tha is 
the earth. And again, the syllable ud is the sun, gl is the wind, and tha is the fire. So 
also, the syllable ud is the Samaveda, gl is the Yajurveda, and tha is the Rgveda. 
When someone knows them in this way and venerates these syllables of the High 
Chant, namely, ud, gl, and tha — speech will yield for him the milk which is the very 
milk of speech, and he will come to own and to eat his own food. 

8 Now, then, this is how wishes are fulfdled. One should venerate the following 
as things to turn to. A man should repair to the Saman chant which he is about to 
use in a liturgical praise, 9 to the Rg verse which supplies the lyrics of that chant, 
and to the seer who composed that verse. A man should repair to the deity whom he 
is about to praise with that chant. 10 A man should repair to the meter of the chant 
which he is about to use in his praise. A man should repair to the arrangement of the 
chant which he is about to use in his praise. 11 A man should repair to the direction 
to which he addresses his praise. 12 Turning to himself ( atman ), finally, he should 
sing the hymn of praise, focusing his mind completely on his wish. He can certainly 
expect that the wish he had as he sang the praise will be fulfilled. 

4 0M — one should venerate the High Chant as this syllable, for one begins the 
High Chant with OM. Here is a further explanation of that syllable. 

2 When the gods feared death, what they did was to enter the triple Veda. They 
covered it with the meters. The fact that the gods covered (chad) it with them gave 
the name to and discloses the true nature of the meters ( chandas ). 7 But death saw 
the gods there in the Rg verses, in the Saman chants, and in the Yajus formulas, just 
as one sees a fish in water. When the gods discovered this, they emerged from the 
Rg, Saman, and Yajus, and entered into the very sound. 4 So, when one finishes a 
Rg verse, or a Saman chant, or a Yajus formula, one makes the sound OM. This 
syllable — the immortal and the fearless — is that very sound. Upon entering that 
syllable, the gods became immortal and free from fear. 

5 A man who utters this syllable with that knowledge enters this very syllable, 
the sound that is immortal and free from fear. As the gods became immortal by en- 
tering it, so will he. 

5 So, then, the High Chant is OM, and OM is the High Chant. The High Chant is 

the sun up there, and it is also OM, for as it moves it makes the sound OM. 


175 



1 . 5.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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HljPtHP?' I HTTHT HTH I H^Ti^HHTPgEHCTH HTH I HHHTgspHH HTH 
#TH I HTg^H HT I HTTHPT: I dTHTH 1 1 ^ 1 1 


176 



Chandogya Upanisad 


1 . 7.2 


2 And this is what Kausltaki once told his son: “I sang the praise of only the sun. 
Therefore, I have only you for a child. Turn to its rays, and you will have many 
children.” 

That is with respect to the divine sphere. 

3 Now, with respect to the body ( atman ): it is as the breath here within the 
mouth that one should venerate as the High Chant, for as it moves it makes the 
sound OM. 4 And this is what Kausltaki once told his son: “I sang the praise of only 
the breath within the mouth. Therefore, I have only you for a child. Direct your 
songs of praise at the breaths in their multiplicity with the thought, ‘I am going to 
have many children.”’ 

5 So, then, the High Chant is OM, and OM is the High Chant. That is why the 
Hotr priest from his seat rectifies a High Chant that has been sung improperly. 

6 The Rg verse is this earth, and the Saman chant, the fire. The Saman is thus 
overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa 
is this earth, and ama, the fire — and that makes “Sama.” 

2 The Rg verse is the intermediate region, and the Saman chant, the wind. The 
Saman is thus overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on 
the Rg. Sa is the intermediate region, and ama, the wind — and that makes “Sama.” 

3 The Rg verse is the sky, and the Saman chant, the sun. The Saman is thus 
overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa is the 
sky and ama, the sun — and that makes “Sama.” 

4 The Rg verse is the stars, and the Saman chant, the moon. The Saman is thus 
overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa is the 
stars and ama, the moon — and that makes “Sama.” 

5 Now, the Rg verse is the white luster of the sun, and the Saman chant, the 
dark, the pitch-black. The Saman is thus overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one 
sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. 6 Now, sa is the white luster of the sun and 
ama, the dark, the pitch-black — and that makes “Sama.” 

Now, the golden person we see within the sun — he has golden hair and a 
golden beard; he is completely golden, down to the very tips of his nails. 7 His eyes 
are like deep blue lotuses. His name is “Up” ( ud ), for he has risen up ( udita ) above 
all evils. Anyone who knows this undoubtedly rises up above all evils. 8 The two 
songs ( gesna ) of that golden person are the Rg and the Saman. He is therefore the 
High Chant ( udgitha ), and, because he sings it, also the High Chanter ( udgatr ). He 
rules over the worlds beyond the sun and over the desires of gods. 

That was with respect to the divine sphere. 


7 Next, with respect to the body {atman ) — 

The Rg verse is speech, and the Saman chant, the breath. The Saman is thus 
overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa is 
speech, and ama, breath — and that makes “Sama.” 

2 The Rg verse is sight, and the Saman chant, the body {atman). The Saman is 


177 



1 . 7.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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178 



Chandogya Upanisad 


1.8.5 


thus overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa 
is sight, and ama, the body — and that makes “Sama.” 

3 The Rg verse is hearing, and the Saman chant, the mind. The Saman is thus 
overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Sa is 
hearing, and ama, the mind — and that makes “Sama.” 

4 Now, the Rg verse is the white luster of the eye, and the Saman chant, the 
dark, the pitch-black. The Saman is thus overlaid on the Rg, and, therefore, one 
sings the Saman overlaid on the Rg. Now, sa is the white luster of the eye, and ama, 
the dark, the pitch-black — and that makes “Sama.” 

5 Now, the person one sees within the eye — he, indeed, is the Rg verse, he is the 
Saman chant, he is the recitation, he is the Yajus formula, he is the formulation of 
truth {brahman). 

This person down here has exactly the same appearance as that person up there 
in the sun, and this person has the same two songs and the same name as he. 6 This 
person here rules over the worlds below the sun and over the desires of men. So, 
those who sing as they play the lute — they sing of him and thus obtain wealth. 7 A 
man who sings the Saman chants with this knowledge sings of both of them. 
Through the former he wins the worlds beyond the sun and the desires of gods, 
8 while through the latter he wins the worlds below the sun and the desires of men. 
Therefore, an Udgatr priest who possesses this knowledge may truly say: 8 9 “What 
desire shall I obtain for you by my singing?” For one who sings the Saman chant 
with this knowledge has, indeed, the power to fulfill desires by singing. 

8 There were once three men who had mastered the High Chant — Silaka 
Salavatya, Caikitayana Dalbhya, and Pravahana Jaivali. They said to each 
other: “We have clearly mastered the High Chant. So come, let’s have a discussion 
about the High Chant.” 2 They all agreed and sat down. Then Pravahana Jaivali said 
to the other two: “Gentlemen, why don’t the two of you talk first? I will listen to the 
conversation as the two Brahmins talk.” 

3 So Silaka Salavatya said to Caikitayana Dalbhya: “Come, I’ll ask you a ques- 
tion.” “Go ahead,” he replied. 

4 “Where does the Saman lead to?” 

“Sound.” 

“Where does sound lead to?” 

“Breath.” 

“Where does breath lead to?” 

“Food.” 

“Where does food lead to?” 

“Water.” 

5 “Where does water lead to?” 

“That world up there.” 

“Where does that world lead to?” 

“One should not take it beyond the heavenly world,” he replied. “We bring the 
Saman to a rest at the heavenly world, for heaven is the place from which the 
Saman is sung.” 


179 



1 . 8.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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180 






Chanclogya Upanisad 


1.10.6 


6 Thereupon, Silaka Salavatya told Caikitayana Dalbhya: “It is very clear, Dal- 
bhya, that your Saman lacks a foundation. And now if someone were to say, ‘Your 
head will shatter apart!’ your head is bound to shatter apart.” 

7 “All right then, let me learn it from you, sir.” 

“Do so,” he replied. 

“Where does that world lead to?” 

“This world,” he replied. 

“Where does this world lead to?” 

“One should not take it beyond the world that is the foundation,” he replied. 
“We bring the Saman to a rest at the world that is the foundation, for this foundation 
is the place from which the Saman is sung.” 

8 Thereupon, Pravahana Jaivali said: “It is very clear, Salavatya, that your 
Saman is limited. And now if someone were to say, ‘Your head will shatter apart!’ 
your head is bound to shatter apart.” 

“All right, then, let me learn it from you, sir.” 

“Do so,” he replied. 


9 “Where does this world lead to?” 

“Space,” he replied. “Clearly, it is from space that all these beings arise, and 
into space that they are finally absorbed; for space indeed existed before them and 
in space they ultimately end. 2 This is the most extensive High Chant; this is without 
limit. When someone knows it in this way and venerates this most extensive High 
Chant, that which is most extensive will be his and he will win the most extensive 
of worlds.” 

3 After telling this to Udarasandilya, Atidhanvan Saunaka said: “So long as they 
continue to possess the knowledge of this High Chant, your descendants will have 
the most extensive life in this world, 4 as also a world in the next.” When someone 
knows and venerates it in this way, he will have the most extensive life in this 
world, as also a world in the next. 


'1 /Y Once, when the land of Kuru had been devastated by locusts, there lived in 
X that region one Usasti Cakrayana together with his wife, Atiki , a pauper 
living in the village of a rich man. 2 One day he came to beg from the rich man 
while he was eating some groats. And he told Usasti: “All I have is what I have 
been served here. I have nothing else.” Usasti replied: 3 “Give me some of that.” So 
he gave him some and said: “Here is something to drink.” 

And Usasti replied: “That would be drinking your leftovers!” 

4 “But aren’t these also leftovers?” 

“Yes,” he replied, “but if I don’t eat them I’ll die. Drinking the water, on the 
other hand, is optional.” 

5 After he had eaten himself, Usasti took the remainder to his wife. But she had 
already gathered ample almsfood. So she took what Usasti gave her and saved it. 

6 The next morning Usasti got up and said: “If only I had some food. I’d be able 
to earn a little money. That king over there is getting ready to perform a sacrifice, 


181 












Chandogya Upanisad 


1 . 11.9 


and he may well choose me to carry out all the priestly functions.” 7 His wife told 
him: “But, my lord, we still have the groats.” He ate them and arrived at the sacri- 
fice after it had already started. 

8 There, he sat by the Udgatr priests as they were preparing to sing the song of 
praise in the area designated for it. He then said to the Prastotr priest: 9 “Hey Pras- 
totr! If you sing the Introductory Praise without knowing the deity that is linked to 
it, your head will shatter apart!” 10 He said the same thing to the Udgatr priest: “Hey 
Udgatr! If you sing the High Chant without knowing the deity that is linked to it, 
your head will shatter apart!” 1 1 And he said the same thing also to the Pratihartr 
priest: “Hey Pratihartr! If you sing the Response without knowing the deity that is 
linked to it, your head will shatter apart!” So they stopped singing and sat down in 
silence. 


n Then the patron of the sacrifice said to him: “Sir, I’d very much like to 
know who you are.” And he replied: “I am Usasti Cakrayana.” 

2 “It is you, sir, whom I have been searching for to carry out all these priestly 
functions. I selected these others only when I couldn’t find you. 3 But now, sir, you 
yourself should carry out all the priestly functions for me.” 

“All right. But let these same priests, who were authorized at that time, sing the 
songs of praise. You must, however, give me the same amount of money that you 
give them.” 

“All right,” said the patron of the sacrifice. 

4 At this point the Prastotr priest drew close to him and said: “Sir, you said to 
me, ‘Hey Prastotr! If you sing the Introductory Praise (prastava ) without knowing 
the deity that is linked to it, your head will shatter apart!’ So tell me, who is that 
deity?” 

5 “Breath (prana)," he replied. “Clearly, all these beings gather around breath 
and rise up toward breath. This, then, is the deity linked to the Introductory Praise. 
If, after I had warned you, you had sung the Introductory Praise without knowing 
that deity, your head would have shattered apart.” 

6 Then the Udgatr priest drew close to him and said: “Sir, you said to me, ‘Hey 
Udgatr! If you sing the High Chant ( udgitha ) without knowing the deity that is 
linked to it, your head will shatter apart!’ So tell me, who is that deity?” 

7 “The sun,” he replied. “Clearly, when the sun is up high ( uccaih ) all these 
beings sing ( gayanti ) to it. This, then, is the deity linked to the High Chant. If, after 
I had warned you, you had sung the High Chant without knowing that deity, your 
head would have shattered apart.” 

8 The Pratihartr priest then drew close to him and said: “Sir, you said to me, 
‘Hey Pratihartr! If you sing the Response ( pratihara ) without knowing the deity that 
is linked to it, your head will shatter apart!’ So tell me, who is that deity?” 

9 “Food,” he replied. “Clearly, it is only by partaking of food ( pratiharamana ) 
that all these beings live. This, then, is the deity linked to the Response. If, after I 
had warned you, you had sung the Response without knowing that deity, your head 
would have shattered apart.” 


183 



1 . 12.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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184 



Chanclogya Upanisad 


2.2.1 


1 O Next comes the High Chant of dogs. One day, while Baka Dalbhya — or it 
JL Zm may have been Glava Maitreya — was on his way to perform his vedic reci- 
tation, 2 there appeared before him a white dog. Other dogs gathered around the 
white one and said to him: “Please, sir, find some food for us by singing. We are 
really hungry.” 3 And he told them: “Come and meet me at this very spot in the 
morning.” So Baka Dalbhya — or it may have been Glava Maitreya — kept watch 
there. 

4 Those dogs then filed in, sliding stealthily in just the same way as priests slide 
stealthily in a file holding on to each other’s back to sing the hymn of praise called 
Bahispavamana. They sat down together and made the sound “hum” 5 They sang: 
“OM! Let’s eat! OM! Let’s drinkiOM! May the gods Varuna,Prajapati, and Savitr 
bring here food! Lord of food! Bring here food! Bring! Bring! OM!” 


B Now, the interjection “ha ii' is this world; “ha i” is the wind; “atha" is the 
moon; “iha” is the body ( atman ); “i” is fire; 2 “n” is the sun; “e" is the in- 
vocation; “an ho is the All-gods; “him” is Prajapati ; “ svara ” (“sound”) is breath; 
“ ya ” is food; and “ virat ” is speech. 3 The thirteenth interjection, that is, the accom- 
panying sound “hum,” is left unexplained. 

4 When a man knows these hidden connections ( upanisad) of the Saman 
chants — speech will yield for him the milk which is the very milk of speech, and he 
will come to own and to eat his own food. 


ADHYAYA 2 

I To venerate the Saman chant in its entirety — now, that is a good thing {sadhu). 

So, you see, when something is good {sadhu), people say “It’s valuable 
( sama )”, and when something is not good ( asadhu ), they say, “It’s worthless 
( asama ).” 

2 And in this regard, when people likewise say, “He approached him with kind 
words {saman),” what they intend to say is, “He approached him with good inten- 
tion {sadhu).” Similarly, when they say, “He approached him with unkind words 
{asaman),” what they intend to say is, “He approached him with ill intention 
{asadhu).” 

3 And when people likewise say, “Oh, we’ve got wealth {saman)]” when they 
are doing well {sadhu), what they intend to say is, “Oh, we are doing well {sadhu)]” 
Likewise, when they say, “Oh, we’ve no wealth {asama)]” when they aren’t doing 
well {asadhu), what they intend to say is, “Oh, we aren’t doing well {asadhu)]” 

4 When someone knows this and venerates the Saman chant as good {sadhu), he 
can certainly expect that good things will come his way and fall to his share. 

2 In the worlds one should venerate the fivefold Saman chant. First, in an as- 

cending order, the //un-interjection is the earth; the Introductory Praise is the 


185 



2 . 2.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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186 



Chandogya Upanisad 


2 . 7.1 


fire; the High Chant is the intermediate region; the Response is the sun; and the 
Concluding Chant is the sky. 

2 Next, in the reverse order, the ///m-interjcction is the sky; the Introductory 
Praise is the sun; the High Chant is the intermediate region; the Response is the fire; 
and the Concluding Chant is the earth. 

3 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in the 
worlds — the worlds, both in their ascending and in their reverse order, become 
favorable to him. 

3 In rain one should venerate the fivefold Saman chant. When the wind starts to 
blow, it is the //i/u-interjection. When the clouds form, it is the Introductory 
Praise. When the rain is falling, it is the High Chant. When lightning is striking and 
thunder is rolling, it is the Response. And when the rain stops, it is the Concluding 
Chant. 

2 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in rain — 
rain falls for him, and he causes rain to fall. 

4 In all the waters one should venerate the fivefold Saman chant. When clouds 
gather, it is the ///m-interjection. When the rain is falling, it is the Introductory 
Praise. When the easterly rivers flow eastward, it is the High Chant. When the west- 
erly rivers flow westward, it is the Response. The ocean is the Concluding Chant. 

2 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in all the 
waters — he will never drown in water, and he will have an ample supply of water. 

5 In the seasons one should venerate the fivefold Saman chant. The Him- 
interjection is the spring; the Introductory Praise is the summer; the High Chant 
is the rainy season; the Response is the autumn; and the Concluding Chant is the 
winter. 

2 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in the sea- 
sons — the seasons become favorable to him, and he will enjoy many seasons. 

6 In animals one should venerate the fivefold Saman chant. The Mm -interjection 
is goats; the Introductory Praise is sheep; the High Chant is cows; the Response 
is horses; and the Concluding Chant is man. 

2 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in ani- 
mals — he will obtain animals, and he will become rich in animals. 

7 In the vital functions (prana ) one should venerate the most extensive fivefold 
Saman chant. The Him -interjection is breath; the Introductory Praise is speech; 
the High Chant is sight; the Response is hearing; and the Concluding Chant is the 
mind. 


187 



2 . 7.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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188 



Chandogya Upanisad 


2.9.8 


2 When someone knows this and venerates the fivefold Saman chant in the vital 
functions — he will obtain what is most extensive, and he will win the most exten- 
sive worlds. 

Now, that was the veneration of the fivefold Saman chant. 


8 Next, the veneration of the sevenfold Saman chant. 

In speech one should venerate the sevenfold Saman chant. Every hum sound 
present in speech is the ///w-interjection; every pra sound is the Introductory Praise 
( pra.stava ); every a sound is the Opening {d.di)\ 2 every ud sound is the High Chant 
(ud.githa)', every prati sound is the Response ( prati.hara ); every upa sound is the 
Finale ( upa.drava ); and every ni sound is the Concluding Chant ( ni.dhana ). 

3 When a man knows this and venerates the sevenfold Saman chant in speech — 
speech will yield for him the milk which is the very milk of speech, and he will 
come to own and eat his own food. 

9 Now, then, one should venerate the sevenfold Saman chant as the sun up there. 

The sun is the Saman chant because it is always the same ( sama ). It appears the 
same to everyone, because each one says, “It faces me! It faces me!” — therefore, 
the sun is the Saman chant. 2 One should know that all beings here are linked to it. 

Just before sunrise, it is the Him- interjection, and animals are linked to it. Ani- 
mals, therefore, make the sound him , for they share in the fl7m- interjection of this 
Saman chant. 

3 When it has just risen, the sun is the Introductory Praise (prastava ), and hu- 
mans are linked to it. Humans, therefore, are fond of praise ( prastuti ) and acclaim 
( prasamsa ), for they share in the Introductory Praise of this Saman chant. 

4 At midmorning, the sun is the Opening (ddi), and birds are linked to it. Birds, 
therefore, fly about in the intermediate region holding themselves up ( adaya ) with- 
out any support, for they share in the Opening of this Saman chant. 

5 Exactly at midday, the sun is the High Chant, and gods are linked to it. Gods, 
therefore, are the best of Prajapati’s children, for they share in the High Chant of 
this Saman chant. 

6 When it is past midday but before midafternoon, the sun is the Response 
( pratihara ), and embryos are linked to it. Embryos, therefore, are confined 
( pratihrta ) and do not fall out, for they share in the Response of this Saman chant. 

7 When it is past midafternoon but before sunset, the sun is the Finale 
(i upadrava ), and wild animals are linked to it. When they see a man, therefore, wild 
animals flee ( upadravanti ) into a thicket to hide themselves, for they share in the 
Finale of this Saman chant. 

8 When it has just set, the sun is the Concluding Chant ( nidhana ), and the an- 
cestors are linked to it. People, therefore, lay their ancestors to rest (nidadhati), for 
they share in the Concluding Chant of this Saman chant. 

In this way, then, one venerates the sevenfold Saman chant as the sun up there. 


189 



2 . 10.1 


The Early Upanisacls 


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1 1 SjfcT ^PT: W*S: 1 1 

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qcfJFTT 37% 3% ll?ll 

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190 



Chandogya Upanisad 


2.13.1 


"1 n Now, then, one should venerate the sevenfold Saman chant according to its 
_Lv7 own measure and as leading beyond death. Him.kd.ra — the Him- 
interjection — has three syllables. And pra.sta.va — the Introductory Praise — has 
three syllables. So they are the same. 

2 A.di — the Opening — has two syllables. And pra.ti.hd.ra — the Response — has 
four syllables. Move one syllable from the latter to the former, and then they are the 
same. 

3 Ud.gl.tha — the High Chant — has three syllables. And u.pa.dra.va — the Fi- 
nale — has four syllables. With three syllables in each, they are the same. One 
syllable ( a.ksa.ra ) — which has three syllables — is left over. So they are the same. 

A Ni.dha.na — the Concluding Chant — has three syllables. So it is the same as 
those. 

So there are here altogether twenty-two syllables. 5 With twenty-one of those 
one reaches the sun; the sun up there is clearly the twenty-first from here. With the 
twenty-second one conquers what is beyond the sun. That is the vault of the sky, a 
place free from sorrow. 

6 When a man knows this and venerates the sevenfold Saman chant according 
to its own measure and as leading beyond death — he will conquer the sun, and he 
will even gain a conquest that surpasses the conquest of the sun. 

n The //iw-interjection is the mind; the Introductory Praise is speech; the 
High Chant is sight; the Response is hearing; and the Concluding Chant is 
breath. This is the Gayatra Saman woven upon the vital functions (prana). 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Gayatra Saman woven upon the vital 
functions — he comes to have full possession of the vital functions; he lives his full 
life span; he lives a long life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and 
livestock; and he becomes a big man on account of his fame. He should be big- 
minded — that is his basic rule. 


"t O When one churns the fire-drill, it is the ///m-inlerjection. When the smoke 
X /-. rises, it is the Introductory Praise. When it flares up, it is the High Chant. 
When the coals form, it is the Response. When the fire dies down, it is the Con- 
cluding Chant. When the fire is extinguished, it is the Concluding Chant. This is the 
Rathantara Saman woven upon the fire. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Rathantara Saman woven upon the 
fire — he becomes an eater of food, radiant with the luster of sacred knowledge; he 
lives his full life span; he lives a long life; he becomes a big man on account of off- 
spring and livestock; and he becomes a big man on account of his fame. He should 
not sip water or spit in the direction of the fire — that is his basic rule. 


'I Q When he calls, it is the H/m-interjection. When he asks, it is the Introduc- 
X \D tory Praise. When he lies down with the woman, it is the High Chant. When 
he lies upon (prati) the woman, it is the Response (prati.hdra). When he ejaculates, 


191 



2.13.1 


The Early JJpanisads 


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ftmm I q^T: qrqdEfr qtdT: 1 1 ? 1 1 


192 




Chandogya Upanisad 


2 . 17.1 


it is the Concluding Chant. When he withdraws, it is the Concluding Chant. This is 
the Vamadevya Saman woven upon sexual intercourse. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Vamadevya Saman woven upon sex- 
ual intercourse — he becomes proficient in sexual intercourse and regenerates 
himself through every sexual intercourse; he lives his full life span; he lives a long 
life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a 
big man on account of his fame. He should not hold back from any woman — that is 
his basic rule. 

M When the sun is rising, it is the //im -interjection. When it has risen, it is the 
Introductory Praise. Midday is the High Chant. The afternoon is the Re- 
sponse. When it sets, it is the Concluding Chant. This is the Brhat Saman woven 
upon the sun. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Brhat Saman woven upon the sun — he 
becomes resplendent and an eater of food; he lives his full life span; he lives a long 
life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a 
big man on account of his fame. He should not complain against the sun when it 
scorches — that is his basic rule. 

J“ When the clouds are gathering, it is the //im-intcrjection. When the rain- 
JL \_J cloud is forming, it is the Introductory Praise. When rain is falling, it is the 
High Chant. When lightning is striking and thunder is rolling, it is the Response. 
When the rain stops, it is the Concluding Chant. This is the Vairupa Saman woven 
upon the rain. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Vairupa Saman woven upon the rain — 
he keeps in his corral beautiful livestock of various types; he lives his full life span; 
he lives a long life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and livestock; 
and he becomes a big man on account of his fame. He should not complain when it 
rains — that is his basic rule. 


"I / The //im-interjection is the spring; the Introductory Praise is the summer; 
JL U the High Chant is the rainy season; the Response is the autumn; and the 
Concluding Chant is the winter. This is the Vairaja Saman woven upon the Seasons. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Vairaja Saman woven upon the sea- 
sons — he becomes resplendent with children, livestock, and the luster of sacred 
knowledge; he lives his full life span; he lives a long life; he becomes a big man on 
account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a big man on account of his 
fame. He should not complain against the seasons — that is his basic rule. 


"1 fT The //(w-interjection is the earth; the Introductory Praise is the intermediate 
X / region; the High Chant is the sky; the Response is the quarters; and the 
Concluding Chant is the ocean. These are the Sakvarl Saman chants woven upon 
the worlds. 


193 



2 . 17.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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194 



Chandogya Upanisad 


2 . 21.3 


2 When in this manner a man knows these Sakvarl Saman chants woven upon 
the worlds — he comes to possess the worlds; he lives his full life span; he lives a 
long life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and livestock; and he be- 
comes a big man on account of his fame. He should not complain against the 
worlds — that is his basic rule. 


1 Q The ///m-interjection is goats; the Introductory Praise is sheep; the High 
X O Chant is cows; the Response is horses; and the Concluding Chant is man. 
These are the Revatl Saman chants woven upon animals. 

2 When in this manner a man knows these RevatT Saman chants woven upon 
animals — he comes to possess animals; he lives his full life span; he lives a long 
life; he becomes a big man on account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a 
big man on account of his fame. He should not complain against animals — that is 
his basic rule. 


”1 Q The Him -interjection is the body hair; the Introductory Praise is the skin; 
JL y the High Chant is the flesh; the Response is the bones; and the Concluding 
Chant is the marrow. This is the Yajnayajmya Saman woven upon bodily parts. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Yajnayajmya Saman woven upon the 
bodily parts— he comes to possess all the bodily parts and does not become defec- 
tive in any bodily part; he lives his full life span; he lives a long life; he becomes a 
big man on account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a big man on ac- 
count of his fame. He should not eat marrow for a year — that is his basic rule; or 
else, he should never eat marrow. 


OO The ///m-interjection is the fire; the Introductory Praise is the wind; the 
Z—\J High Chant is the sun; the Response is the stars; and the Concluding Chant 
is the moon. This is the Rajana Saman woven upon the deities. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Rajana Saman woven upon the dei- 
ties — he obtains residence in the same world as these deities, and equality and union 
with them; he lives his full life span; he lives a long life; he becomes a big man on 
account of offspring and livestock; and he becomes a big man on account of his 
fame. He should not complain against Brahmins — that is his basic rule. 



The ///'m-interjection is the triple Veda; the Introductory Praise is these 
three worlds; the High Chant is fire, wind, and sun; the Response is the 


stars, birds, and the glittering specks; and the Concluding Chant is snakes, Gand- 


harvas, and ancestors. This is the Saman woven upon the Whole. 

2 When in this manner a man knows this Saman woven upon the Whole — he 
becomes the Whole. 3 In this connection there is this verse: 


195 



2.21.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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196 



Chandogya Upanisad 


2.23.1 


There is nothing better, nothing higher, 
than the fivefold set of threes. 

4 A man who knows that knows the Whole; 
all quarters bring tribute to him. 

He should venerate this Saman with the thought, “I am the Whole!” — that is his 
basic rule. 


^ ^ “I choose the roaring way of singing the Saman, the singing that resembles 
' ' the lowing of an animal” — that is the High Chant of the fire. The indistinct 
way of singing it is the High Chant of Prajapati; the distinct way of singing it is the 
High Chant of Soma; the soft and smooth way of singing it is the High Chant of the 
wind; the smooth and powerful way of singing it is the High Chant of Indra; the 
way of singing it that sounds like a heron is the High Chant of Brhaspati; and the 
dissonant way of singing it is the High Chant of Varuna. One should employ all 
these ways of singing, except that of Varuna, which alone one should avoid. 

2 When a person sings to obtain something, he should do so with the thought, 
“Let me obtain immortality for the gods by my singing.” Likewise, he should be 
careful to keep the following thoughts in his mind as he sings the songs of praise: 
“Let me obtain by my singing food offerings for the ancestors, the fulfillment of 
wishes for humans, fodder and water for animals, heaven for the patron of the sacri- 
fice, and food for myself ( atman ).” 

3 All the vowels are corporeal forms {atman) of Indra. All the spirants are cor- 
poreal forms of Prajapati. And all the stops are corporeal forms of Death. So, if 
someone criticizes him for the way he pronounces his vowels, he should tell that 
man: “I have taken refuge in Indra, and he will rebut you.” 4 And if someone criti- 
cizes him for the way he pronounces his spirants, he should tell that man: “I have 
taken refuge in Prajapati, and he will crush you.” And if someone criticizes him for 
the way he pronounces his stops, he should tell that man: “I have taken refuge in 
Death, and he will burn you up.” 

5 One should pronounce all the vowels with resonance and emphasis, thinking, 
“Let me give strength to Indra.” One should pronounce all the spirants without 
swallowing or ejecting them, and with an open passage between the tongue and the 
place of articulation, thinking, “Let me surrender myself (atman) to Prajapati.” One 
should pronounce all the stops, checking slightly and thus separating them from the 
following sounds so that they are not absorbed into them, thinking, “Let me save 
myself from Death.” 


O O There are three types of persons whose torso is the Law ( dharma ). 

The first is one who pursues sacrifice, vedic recitation, and gift-giving. 

The second is one who is devoted solely to austerity. 

The third is a celibate student of the Veda living at his teacher’s house — that is, 
a student who settles himself permanently at his teacher’s house. 

All these gain worlds earned by merit. 

A person who is steadfast in brahman reaches immortality. 


197 



2 . 23.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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198 



Chandogya Vpanisad 


2.24.13 


2 Prajapati incubated the worlds, and, when they had been incubated, the triple 
Veda sprang from them. He incubated the triple Veda, and, when it had been incu- 
bated, these syllables “bhur, bhuvas, svar” sprang from it. 3 He incubated these 
syllables, and, when they had been incubated, the syllable OM sprang from them. As 
all the leaves are bored through by a pin, so all words are bored through by OM. 
This whole world is nothing but OM. 


A Those who articulate formulations of truth ( brahman ) inquire: “Since the 
/Jit morning pressing of Soma belongs to the Vasus, the midday pressing to the 
Rudras, and the third pressing to the Adityas and the All-gods , 2 what world is then 
left for the patron of the sacrifice?” If a man does not know the answer to this, how 
can he carry out a sacrifice? So, only a man who knows it should carry it out. 

3 Before the command to recite the morning litany has been issued, the patron 
sits facing the north behind the householder’s fire and sings the Saman of the 
Vasus: 


4 Open the door to the world! 
Let us see you — to win 
Sovereignty! 


5 Then he puts the offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Homage to the fire 
dwelling on the earth, dwelling in the world! Secure that world for me, for the pa- 
tron — for that is the patron’s world. I will go 6 there after death — I the patron — 
svaha! Throw back the bolt!” After saying this, he gets up. 

The Vasus present to him the morning pressing. 

7 Before the command to undertake the midday pressing has been issued, the 
patron sits facing the north behind the Agnldhriya fire and sings the Saman of the 
Rudras: 

8 Open the door to the world! 

Let us see you — to win 
Broad Sovereignty! 

9 Then he puts the offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Homage to the wind 
dwelling in the intermediate world, dwelling in the world! Secure that world for me, 
for the patron — for that is the patron’s world. I will go 10 there after death — I the 
patron — svaha! Throw back the bolt!” After saying this, he gets up. 

The Rudras present to him the midday pressing. 

11 Before the command to undertake the third pressing has been issued, the pa- 
tron sits facing the north behind the offertorial fire and sings the Saman of the 
Adityas and of the All-gods: 

12 Open the door to the world! 

Let us see you — to win 
Full Sovereignty! 

That is the Saman of the Adityas. 13 Next, the Saman of the All-gods: 

Open the door to the world! 

Let us see you — to win 
Absolute Sovereignty! 


199 



2.24.14 


The Early Upanisads 


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200 



Chandogya Upanisad 


3.4.1 


14 Then he pours the offering of ghee in the fire, saying: “Homage to the 
Adityas and the All-gods dwelling in the sky, dwelling in the world! Secure that 
world for me, for the patron — 15 for that is the patron’s world. I will go there after 
death — I the patron — svaha! Throw back the bolt!” After saying this, he gets up. 

16 The Adityas and the All-gods present to him the third pressing. A man who 
knows this undoubtedly knows the full measure of the sacrifice. 


ADHYAYA 3 


I The honey of the gods, clearly, is the sun up there. The crossbar for it is the sky 
itself; the hive is the intermediate region; and the larvae are the glittering 
specks. 

2 Its easterly honey cells are simply the easterly rays of the sun — the bees being 
the Rg verses, and the flower, the Rgveda, which is also the immortal waters. 

These very Rg verses 3 incubated the Rgveda, and, when it had been incubated, 
its essence sprang from it in the form of luster, splendor, power, strength, and food- 
stuff. 4 A11 that flowed out and made its way to the sun; and that is what constitutes 
the red appearance of the sun. 

2 Its southerly honey cells are simply the southerly rays of the sun — the bees 
being the Yajus formulas, and the flower, the Yajurveda, which is also the im- 
mortal waters. 

2 These very Yajus formulas incubated the Yajurveda, and, when it had been 
incubated, its essence sprang from it in the form of luster, splendor, power, strength, 
and foodstuff. 3 All that flowed out and made its way to the sun; and that is what 
constitutes the white appearance of the sun. 

3 Its westerly honey cells are simply the westerly rays of the sun — the bees being 
the Saman chants, and the flower, the Samaveda, which is also the immortal 
waters. 

2 These very Saman chants incubated the Samaveda, and, when it had been in- 
cubated, its essence sprang from it in the form of luster, splendor, power, strength, 
and foodstuff. 3 All that flowed out and made its way to the sun; and that is what 
constitutes the dark appearance of the sun. 

4 Its northerly honey cells are simply the northerly rays of the sun — the bees be- 
ing the Atharva and Angirasa formulas, and the flower, the Collection of 
Histories and Ancient Tales, which are also the immortal waters. 


201 



3 . 4.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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Chandogya Upanisad 


3.8.2 


2 These very Atharva and Angirasa formulas incubated the Collection of Histo- 
ries and Ancient Tales and, when it had been incubated, its essence sprang from it in 
the form of luster, splendor, power, strength, and foodstuff. 3 All that flowed out and 
made its way to the sun; and that is what constitutes the very dark appearance of the 
sun. 

5 Its upward honey cells are simply the upward rays of the sun — the bees being 
the secret rules of substitution, and the flower, the formulation of truth 
(brahman), which is also the immortal waters. 

2 These very secret rules of substitution incubated the formulation of truth, and, 
when it had been incubated, its essence sprang from it in the form of luster, splen- 
dor, power, strength, and foodstuff. 3 All that flowed out and made its way to the 
sun; and that is the flickering of a sort seen in the middle of the sun. 

4 These, clearly, are the very essence of the essences, for the essences are the 
Vedas, and these are their essence. These are, moreover, the immortal nectar of 
nectars, for the nectars are the Vedas, and these are their nectar. 

6 On the first nectar among these the Vasus subsist with fire as their mouth. The 
gods, of course, neither eat nor drink. They become sated by just looking at this 
nectar. 2 Into that same [red] appearance they enter, and from that appearance they 
emerge. 

3 When someone knows this nectar in this way — he becomes one with those 
very Vasus and, with fire itself as his mouth, becomes sated by just looking at this 
nectar; he enters into this same appearance and emerges from this appearance; 4 and 
he will achieve dominion and sovereignty over these very Vasus for as long as the 
sun shall rise in the east and set in the west. 

7 On the second nectar among these the Rudras subsist with Indra as their mouth. 

The gods, of course, neither eat nor drink. They become sated by just looking 
at this nectar. 2 Into that same (white) appearance they enter, and from that appear- 
ance they emerge. 

3 When someone knows this nectar in this way — he truly becomes one with 
those very Rudras and, with Indra himself as his mouth, becomes sated by just 
looking at this nectar; he enters into this same appearance and emerges from this 
appearance; 4 and he will achieve dominion and sovereignty over these very Rudras 
for as long as the sun shall rise in the south and set in the north, which is twice as 
long as it will rise in the east and set in the west. 

8 On the third nectar among these the Adityas subsist with Varuna as their 
mouth. The gods, of course, neither eat nor drink. They become sated by just 
looking at this nectar. 2 Into that same (dark) appearance they enter, and from that 
appearance they emerge. 


203 



3 . 8.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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Chandogya Upanisad 


3.11.6 


3 When someone knows this nectar in this way — he truly becomes one with 
those very Adityas and, with Varuna himself as his mouth, becomes sated by just 
looking at this nectar; he enters into this same appearance and emerges from this 
appearance; 4 and he will achieve dominion and sovereignty over these very Adityas 
for as long as the sun shall rise in the west and set in the east, which is twice as long 
as it will rise in the south and set in the north. 

9 On the fourth nectar among these the Maruts subsist with the moon as their 
mouth. The gods, of course, neither eat nor drink. They become sated by just 
looking at this nectar. 2 Into that same (very dark) appearance they enter, and from 
that appearance they emerge. 

3 When someone knows this nectar in this way — he truly becomes one with 
those very Maruts and, with the moon itself as his mouth, becomes sated by just 
looking at this nectar; he enters into this same appearance and emerges from this 
appearance; 4 and he will achieve dominion and sovereignty over these very Maruts 
for as long as the sun shall rise in the north and set in the south, which is twice as 
long as it will rise in the west and set in the east. 

"1 D nectar among these the Sadhyas subsist with brahman as their 

JL mouth. The gods, of course, neither eat nor drink. They become sated by 
just looking at this nectar. 2 They enter into that same (flickering) appearance, and 
from that appearance they emerge. 

3 When someone knows this nectar in this way — he truly becomes one with 
those very Sadhyas and, with brahman itself as his mouth, becomes sated by just 
looking at this nectar; he enters into this same appearance and emerges from this 
appearance; 4 and he will achieve dominion and sovereignty over these very Sadh- 
yas for as long as the sun shall rise in the zenith and set in the nadir, which is twice 
as long as it will rise in the north and set in the south. 

n Thereupon, after rising in the zenith, it will never rise or set. All alone, it 
will remain in the middle. In this connection, there is this verse: 

2 There, surely, it has never set, 
nor ever risen. 

By this truth, O gods, 

let me not be stripped 

of the formulation of truth {brahman). 

3 When someone knows this hidden teaching ( upanisad) that is the formulation 
of truth ( brahman ) in this manner — for him the sun neither rises nor sets, for him it 
is always day. 

4 Brahma taught this very formulation of truth to Prajapati, Prajapati to Manu, 
and Manu to his children. And his father imparted this very formulation of truth to 
Uddalaka Aruni, his eldest son. 5 So, a father should impart this formulation of truth 
only to his eldest son or to a worthy pupil, 6 and never to anyone else, even if he 
were to offer him this earth girded by the waters and filled with wealth, because that 
formulation is far greater than all that! 


205 



3 . 12.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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206 



Chandogya Upanisad 


3 . 13.6 


*1 O Whatever there is, this entire creation — clearly, all that is the Gayatri. And 
JL /Lm the Gayatri is speech, for speech sings ( gayati ) and protects ( trdyati ) this 
entire creation. 

2 Now, take this Gayatri — clearly, it is just the same as this earth here, for this 
entire creation rests upon the earth and never extends beyond its limits. 

3 And take this earth — clearly, it is just the same as this body of a person here, 
for these vital functions {prana) rest within the body and never extend beyond its 
limits. 

4 And take this body of a person here — clearly, it is just the same as this heart 
here within a person, for these vital functions rest within the heart and never extend 
beyond its limits. 

5 This is the Gayatri that consists of four quarters and six types. This is declared 
in a Rg verse: 


6 Such is his greatness — 

Even greater than that is that person. 
One quarter of him are all creatures, 
Three quarters the immortal in heaven. 


7 And take what people call “brahman” — clearly, it is nothing but this space 
here outside a person. And this space here outside a person — 1 2 3 4 5 6 * 8 clearly, it is the same 
as this space here within a person. 9 And this space here within a person — clearly, it 
is the same as this space here within the heart; it is full and nondepleting. Anyone 
who knows this obtains full and nondepleting prosperity. 


1 Q Now, this heart here contains five openings for the deities. As regards its 
eastern opening — it is the out-breath, it is sight, it is the sun. And one 
should venerate it as splendor and as foodstuff. Anyone who knows this becomes 
full of splendor and an eater of food. 

2 As regards its southern opening — it is the inter-breath, it is hearing, it is the 
moon. And one should venerate it as prosperity and fame. Anyone who knows this 
becomes prosperous and famous. 

3 As regards its western opening — it is the in-breath, it is speech, it is the fire. 
And one should venerate it as the luster of sacred knowledge and as foodstuff. Any- 
one who knows this becomes full of the luster of sacred knowledge and an eater of 
food. 

4 As regards its northern opening — it is the link-breath, it is the mind, it is the 
rain. And one should venerate it as renown and beauty. Anyone who knows this 
becomes renowned and beautiful. 

5 As regards its upper opening — it is the up-breath, it is the wind, it is space. 
And one should venerate it as vigor and might. Anyone who knows this becomes 
vigorous and mighty. 

6 These, indeed, are the five courtiers of brahman, the doorkeepers of heaven. 

When someone knows these five courtiers of brahman, these doorkeepers of 

heaven, in this way — a hero will be born to his family, and he will go to heaven. 


207 



3 . 13.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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208 


Chandogya Upanisad 


3.15.3 


7 - 8 Now, far above here the light that shines from heaven on the backs of every- 
thing, on the backs of all things, in the very highest of the high worlds— it is clearly 
this very same light here within a man. We see it when, on touching the body, we 
feel the warmth within it. We hear it when, as we press our ears shut, we hear 
something like the hum and the noise of a blazing fire. One should venerate this 
light as something seen and heard. Anyone who knows this will become handsome 
and famous. 


M Brahman, you see, is this whole world. With inner tranquillity, one should 
venerate it as jaldn. 

Now, then, man is undoubtedly made of resolve. What a man becomes on 
departing from here after death is in accordance with his resolve in this world. So he 
should make this resolve: 

2-3 “This self ( atman ) of mine that lies deep within my heart — it is made of 
mind; the vital functions (prana ) are its physical form; luminous is its appearance; 
the real is its intention; space is its essence (atman)-, it contains all actions, all de- 
sires, all smells, and all tastes; it has captured this whole world; it neither speaks nor 
pays any heed. 

“This self (atman) of mine that lies deep within my heart — it is smaller than a 
grain of rice or barley, smaller than a mustard seed, smaller even than a millet grain 
or a millet kernel; but it is larger than the earth, larger than the intermediate region, 
larger than the sky, larger even than all these worlds put together. 

4 “This self (atman) of mine that lies deep within my heart — it contains all ac- 
tions, all desires, all smells, and all tastes; it has captured this whole world; it nei- 
ther speaks nor pays any heed. 

“It is brahman. On departing from here after death, I will become that.” 

A man who has this resolve is never beset at all with doubts. This is what 
Sandilya used to say. 


This chest does not decay! 

Its cavity — the intermediate region 
Its bottom — the earth 
Its corners — the quarters 
Its opening above — the sky 
This chest contains wealth. 

In it this whole universe rests. 

2 Its eastern quarter is called Offering Ladle. Its southern quarter is called Con- 
quering. Its western quarter is called Royal. Its northern quarter is called 
Prosperous. The offspring of these quarters is the wind. Anyone who knows that, in 
this way, the offspring of the quarters is the wind will not mourn the loss of a son. 

“I am a man who knows that, in this way, the offspring of the quarters is the 
wind. So may I not have to mourn the loss of a son. 

3 Together with so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-so, 

I turn to the undecaying chest for protection. 



209 



3 . 15.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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21 0 





Chandogya Upanisad 


3.16.6 


Together with so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-so, 

I turn to the breath for protection. 

Together with so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-so, 

I turn to bhur for protection. 

Together with so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-so, 

I turn to bhuvas for protection. 

Together with so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-so, 

I turn to svar for protection. 

4 “The breath is clearly this entire creation, everything there is. So, when I said, 
‘I turn to the breath,’ it was to this that I thereby turned for protection. 

5 “And when I said, ‘I turn to bhur for protection,’ what I said thereby was: ‘I 
turn to the earth for protection. I turn to the intermediate region for protection. I turn 
to the sky for protection.’ 

6 “And when I said, ‘I turn to bhuvas for protection,’ what I said thereby was: ‘I 
turn to the fire for protection. I turn to the wind for protection. I turn to the sun for 
protection.’ 

7 “And when I said, ‘I turn to svar for protection,’ what I said thereby was: ‘I 
turn to the Rgveda for protection. I turn to the Yajurveda for protection. I turn to the 
Samaveda for protection.’” 

1 C - > Now, the sacrifice is a man. His first twenty-four years constitute the 
JL O morning pressing of Soma. The Gayatri meter has twenty-four syllables, 
and so the morning pressing of Soma is carried out with the Gayatri. To this, there- 
fore, are linked the Vasus. The Vasus are the breaths, for they make ( vasayanti ) this 
whole world dwell securely. 2 If someone happens to be afflicted with any sickness 
during this period of life, let him say: “O Breaths! O Vasus! May this morning of- 
fering of mine continue until the midday offering! May I — the sacrifice — not perish 
amid the breaths, amid the Vasus!” He is sure to recover from it and become 
healthy again. 

3 And his next forty-four years constitute the midday pressing of Soma. The 
Tristubh meter has forty-four syllables, and so the midday pressing of Soma is car- 
ried out with the Tristubh. To this, therefore, are linked the Rudras. The Rudras are 
the breaths, for they make this whole world weep ( rodayanti ). 4 If someone happens 
to be afflicted with any sickness during this period of life, let him say: “O Breaths! 
O Rudras! May this midday offering of mine continue until the third offering! May 
I — the sacrifice — not perish amid the breaths, amid the Rudras!” He is sure to re- 
cover from it and become healthy again. 

5 And finally, his next forty-eight years constitute the third pressing of Soma. 
The Jagatl meter has forty-eight syllables, and so the third pressing of Soma is 
carried out with the Jagatl. To this, therefore, are linked the Adityas. The Adityas 
are the breaths, for they take back ( adadate ) this whole world. 6 If someone happens 
to be afflicted with any sickness during this period of life, let him say: “O Breaths! 
O Adityas! May this third offering of mine continue until the end of my full life 
span! May I — the sacrifice — not perish amid the breaths, amid the Adityas!” He is 
sure to recover from it and become healthy again. 


211 



3.16.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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212 



Chandogya Upanisad 


3.18.4 


7 Surely it was this thatMahidasa Aitareya knew when he said: “I am not going 
to die because of it. So why do you have to afflict me with this?” And he lived to be 
one hundred and sixteen. Anyone who knows this will also live to be one hundred 
and sixteen. 


i TJ When a man is hungry, thirsty, and without pleasures — that is his sacrificial 
X / consecration; 2 and when he eats, drinks, and enjoys pleasures- — by that he 
performs the preparatory rites; 3 when he laughs, feasts, and has sex — by that he 
sings the chants and performs the recitations; 4 austerity, generosity, integrity, non- 
injury, and truthfulness — these are his sacrificial gifts. 

5 Therefore, they say: “He will press the Soma! He has pressed the Soma for 
himself!” That is, indeed, his regeneration. The bath after the sacrifice is simply his 
death. 

6 After Ghora Angirasa had taught the same thing to Krsna, the son of Devaki, 
he continued — he was then altogether free from desires and at the point of death: 
“one should turn to these three for protection: ‘You are the undecaying! You are the 
imperishable! You are fortified by breath!’” In this connection, there are these two 
Rg verses: 

7 Then they see the morning light of the primeval seed, 

The light that gleams from beyond the sky. 


Far beyond the surrounding darkness, 
We see the highest light! 

We see the highest shine! 

To the god of gods, 

To the supreme light, 

To the sun, 

We have gone! 


'1 O With respect to the bodily sphere (at man), one should venerate: “ Brahman 
JL O is the mind,” and, with respect to the divine sphere: “Brahman is space.” In 
this way, substitution is carried out in both spheres — both with respect to the bodily 
sphere and with respect to the divine sphere. 

2 Now, brahman here is four-legged — with respect to the bodily sphere, speech 
is one leg, breath is another, sight is the third, and hearing is the fourth; and with 
respect to the divine sphere, the fire is one leg, the wind is another, the sun is the 
third, and the quarters are the fourth. In this way, substitution is carried out in both 
spheres — both with respect to the bodily sphere and with respect to the divine 
sphere. 

30ne of brahman’s four legs is speech. With the fire as its light, it gleams and 
glows. Anyone who knows this gleams and glows with fame, glory, and the luster 
of sacred knowledge. 

4 Another of brahman’s four legs is breath. With the wind as its light, it gleams 
and glows. Anyone who knows this gleams and glows with fame, glory, and the 
luster of sacred knowledge. 


213 



3 . 18.5 


The Early Upanisads 


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214 



Chanclogya Upanisad 


4.1.5 


5 The third of brahman’s four legs is sight. With the sun as its light, it gleams 
and glows. Anyone who knows this gleams and glows with fame, glory, and the 
luster of sacred knowledge. 

6 The fourth of brahman’s four legs is hearing. With the quarters as its light, it 
gleams and glows. Anyone who knows this gleams and glows with fame, glory, and 
the luster of sacred knowledge. 


"1 Q “Brahman is the sun” — that is the rule of substitution. Here is a further ex- 
X y planation of it. 

In the beginning this world was simply what is nonexisting; and what is exist- 
ing was that. It then developed and formed into an egg. It lay there for a full year 
and then it hatched, splitting in two, one half becoming silver and the other half 
gold. 2 The silver half is this earth, while the golden half is the sky. The outer mem- 
brane is the mountains; the inner membrane, the clouds and the mist; the veins, the 
rivers; and the amniotic fluid, the ocean. 3 Now, the hatchling that was born was the 
sun up there. And as it was being born, cries of joy and loud cheers rose up in cele- 
bration, as did all beings and all desires. Therefore, every time the sun rises and 
every time it returns, cries of joy and loud cheers rise up in celebration, as do all 
beings and all their hopes. 

4 When someone knows this and venerates brahman as the sun, he can certainly 
expect that the pleasing sound of cheering will reach his ears and delight him. 


ADHYAYA 4 


1 There was one Janasruti Pautrayana, a man who was totally devoted to giving 
and used to give a lot, a man who gave a lot of cooked food. He had hospices 
built everywhere, thinking: “People will eat food from me everywhere.” 

2 Now, it so happened that some wild geese were flying overhead at night, and 
one of them said to another: “Hey, Bright-Eyes! Look out, Bright-Eyes! Look, a 
light like that of Janasruti Pautrayana has spread out through the sky. Don’t touch it, 
if you don’t want to be burnt.” 

3 The other replied: “Come now! Given who he is, why do you speak of him as 
if he were Raikva, the gatherer?” 

“That man — how is he Raikva, the gatherer?” 

4 “As the lower throws all go to the one who wins with the highest throw of the 
dice, so whatever good things people may do, all that goes to him. I say the same of 
anyone who knows what Raikva knows.” 

5 Now, Janasruti Pautrayana overheard this conversation, and, as soon as he got 
up in the morning, he said to his steward: “Look, my man! [This is what I heard:] 

“ ‘Why do you speak of him as if he were Raikva, the gatherer?’ ‘That 
man — how is he Raikva, the gatherer?’ 


215 



4 . 1.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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Chandogya Upanisad 


4.3.6 


6 “ ‘As the lower throws all go to the one who wins with the highest throw 
of the dice, so whatever good things people may do, all that goes to him. I 
say the same of anyone who knows what Raikva knows.’” 

7 The steward searched for Raikva and returned, saying: “I didn’t find him.” 
Janasruti told him: “Look for him, my man, in a place where one would search for a 
non-Brahmin.” 

8 The steward respectfully approached a man under a cart scratching his sores 
and asked: “Sir, are you Raikva, the gatherer?” The man replied: “Yes, I am.” The 
steward then returned, saying: “I did find him.” 

2 Taking with him six hundred cows, a gold necklace, and a carriage drawn by a 
she-mule, Janasruti Pautrayana went back to Raikva and said to him: 2 “Raikva, 
here are six hundred cows, a gold necklace, and a carriage drawn by a she-mule. 
Please, sir, teach me the deity that you venerate.” 3 But Raikva replied: “Hey, you! 
Drive them back to your place, Sudra! Keep your goods and your cows!” 

Then, taking with him a thousand cows, a gold necklace, a carnage drawn by a 
she-mule, and his daughter, Janasruti Pautrayana went back to him once again 4 and 
said: “Raikva, here are a thousand cows, a gold necklace, and a carriage drawn by a 
she-mule, here is a wife, and here is the village where you live. Sir, please teach 
me. 

5 Lifting up her face, Raikva said: “Hey you! Drive them to my place, Sudra! 
With just this face you would have swindled me!” 

Now, these villages among the Mahavrsa called Raikvaparna stand where 
Janasruti lived with Raikva. And this is what Raikva told him. 


3 “The gatherer, clearly, is the wind. So, when a fire goes out, it is into the wind 
that it passes; when the sun sets, it is into the wind that it passes; when the 
moon sets, it is into the wind that it passes; 2 and when water evaporates, it is into 
the wind that it passes. For it is the wind that gathers all these.” 

That was with respect to the divine sphere. 3 Next, with respect to the body 
( atnian ) — 

“The gatherer, clearly, is the breath. So, when a man sleeps, it is into the breath 
that his speech passes; it is also into the breath that sight, hearing, and mind pass. 
For it is the breath that gathers all these. 

4 “These, then, are the two gatherers — the wind among the deities and the 
breath among the vital functions (prana). 

5 “Once, while food was being served to Saunaka Kapeya and Abhipratin 
Kaksaseni, a vedic student begged for almsfood from them. But they did not give 
him any. 6 The student then told them: 

‘One god has swallowed four mighty ones! 

Who is he, the guardian of the world? 

Mortals do not see him, Kapeya, 

Though, Abhipratin, he’s present everywhere! 


217 



The Early Upanisads 


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Chandogya Upanisad 


4.5.2 


You have not given this food, 

To a man to whom it’s due!’ 

7 “Then Saunaka Kapeya reflected upon it for a while and gave this reply: 

‘He’s the self ( atman ) of the gods, the father of creatures! 

The wise devourer with golden teeth! 

They say his greatness is great. 

Who eats what’s not food without being eaten! 

“ ‘Thus, O student, do we venerate it. Give this man some almsfood!’ 8 So they 
gave him some. 

“The former five and the latter five make a total of ten. And they are the high- 
est throw of the dice. In all the quarters, therefore, ten, the highest throw of the dice, 
is just food. It is the Viraj meter, the eater of food. Viraj has sunk its teeth into this 
whole world. When someone knows this — he sinks his teeth into the whole world; 
he becomes an eater of food.” 

4 One day Satyakama Jabala said to his mother Jabala: “Mother, I want to be- 
come a vedic student. So tell me what my lineage is,” 2 She replied:. “Son, I 
don’t know what your lineage is. I was young when I had you. I was a maid then 
and had a lot of relationships. As such, it is impossible for me to say what your line- 
age is. But my name is Jabala, and your name is Satyakama So you should simply 
say that you are Satyakama Jabala.” 

3 He went to Haridrumata Gautama then and said: “Sir, I want to live under you 
as a vedic student. I come to you, sir, as your student.” 

4 Haridrumata asked him: “Son, what is your lineage?” And he replied: “Sir, I 
don’t know what my lineage is. When I asked my mother, she replied: ‘I was young 
when I had you. I was a maid then and had a lot of relationships. As such, it is im- 
possible for me to say what your lineage is. But my name is Jabala, and your name 
is Satyakama.’ So I am Satyakama Jabala, sir.” 

^Haridrumata then told him: “Who but a Brahmin could speak like that! Fetch 
some firewood, son. I will perform your initiation. You have not strayed from the 
truth.” So he initiated the boy and, picking out four hundred of the most skinny and 
feeble cows, told him: “Son, look after these.” As he was driving them away, Sat- 
yakama answered back: “I will not return without a thousand!” He lived away for a 
number of years, and when the cows had increased to a thousand this is what hap- 
pened. 

5 The bull called out to him: “Satyakama!” He responded: “Sir?” The bull said: 
“Son, we have reached a thousand. Take us back to the teacher’s house, 2 and I 
will tell you one quarter of brahman." 

“Please tell me, sir.” 

And the bull told him: “One-sixteenth of it is the eastern quarter; one-sixteenth 
is the western quarter; one-sixteenth is the southern quarter; and one-sixteenth is the 


219 



4 . 5.2 


The Early JJpanisads 


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220 



Chandogya Upanisad 


4.8.1 


northern quarter. Consisting of these four-sixteenths, this quarter of brahman is 
named Far-flung, my son. 

3 “When someone knows this and venerates this quarter of brahman consisting 
of four-sixteenths as Far-flung, he will become far-flung in this world. A man will 
win far-flung worlds, when he knows this and venerates this quarter of brahman 
consisting of four-sixteenths as Far-flung.” 

6 The bull continued: “The fire will tell you another quarter.” The next morning 
Satyakama drove the cows on, and at the spot where they happened to be 
around sunset he built a fire, corralled the cows, fed the fire with wood, and sat 
down behind the fire facing the east. 

2 The fire then called out to him: “Satyakama !” He responded: “Sir?” 

3 “Son, I will tell you a quarter of brahman.” 

“Please tell me, sir.” 

And the fire told him: “One-sixteenth of it is the earth; one-sixteenth is the in- 
termediate region; one-sixteenth is the sky; and one-sixteenth is the ocean. 
Consisting of these four-sixteenths, this quarter of brahman is named Limitless, my 
son. 

4 “When someone knows this and venerates the quarter of brahman consisting 
of these four-sixteenths as Limitless, there will be no limits for him in this world. A 
man will win limitless worlds, when he knows this and venerates the quarter of 
brahman consisting of these four-sixteenths as Limitless.” 

7 The fire continued: “A wild goose will tell you another quarter.” The next 
morning Satyakama drove the cows on, and at the spot where they happened to 
be around sunset he built a fire, corralled the cows, fed the fire with wood, and sat 
down behind the fire facing the east. 

2 A wild goose then flew down and called out to him: “Satyakama!” He re- 
sponded: “Sir?” 

3 “Son, I will tell you a quarter of brahman.” 

“Please tell me, sir.” 

And the wild goose told him: “One-sixteenth of it is the fire; one-sixteenth is 
the sun; one-sixteenth is the moon; and one-sixteenth is lightning. Consisting of 
these four-sixteenths, this quarter of brahman is named Radiant, my son. 

4 “When someone knows this and venerates the quarter of brahman consisting 
of these four-sixteenths as Radiant, he will become radiant in this world. A man will 
win radiant worlds, when he knows this and venerates the quarter of brahman con- 
sisting of these four-sixteenths as Radiant.” 

8 The wild goose continued: “A waterbird will tell you another quarter.” The 
next morning Satyakama drove the cows on, and at the spot where they hap- 
pened to be around sunset he built a fire, corralled the cows, fed the fire with wood, 
and sat down behind the fire facing the east. 


221 



4.8.2 


The Early Upanisacls 


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222 



Chandogya Upanisad 


4 . 11.2 


2 A waterbird then flew down and called out to him: “Satyakama!” He re- 
sponded: “Sir?” 

3 “Son, I will tell you a quarter of brahman.” 

“Please tell me, sir.” 

And the waterbird told him: “One-sixteenth of it is breath; one-sixteenth is 
sight; one-sixteenth is hearing; and one-sixteenth is the mind. Consisting of these 
four-sixteenths, this quarter of brahman is named Abode-possessing, my son. 

4 “When someone knows this and venerates the quarter of brahman consisting 
of these four-sixteenths as Abode -possessing, he will have an abode in this world. A 
man will win worlds possessing abodes, when he knows this and venerates the 
quarter of brahman consisting of these four-sixteenths as Abode-possessing.” 

9 Finally he reached his teacher’s house. The teacher called out to him: “Satya- 
kama!” He responded: “Sir?” 2 “Son, you have the glow of a man who knows 
brahman ! Tell me — who taught you?” 

“Other than human beings,” he acknowledged. “But, if it pleases you, sir, you 
should teach it to me yourself, 3 for I have heard from people of your eminence that 
knowledge leads one most securely to the goal only when it is learnt from a 
teacher.” So he explained it to him, and, indeed, he did so without leaving anything 
out. 

1 n Upakosala Katnalayana once lived as a vedic student under Satyakama 
JL Jabala and tended his fires for twelve years. Now, Satyakama, although he 
permitted other students of his to return home, did not permit Upakosala to do so. 
2 His wife then told him: “The student has performed his austerities and faithfully 
tended the fires. Teach him before the fires beat you to it.” But Satyakama went on 
a journey without ever teaching him. 

3 Now, Upakosala became so afflicted that he stopped eating. His teacher’s wife 
told him: “Come on, student, eat. Why have you stopped eating?” He told her: “The 
desires that lurk within this man are many and bring various dangers. I am over- 
whelmed by afflictions, and I will not eat.” 

4 The fires then said to each other: “The student has performed his austerities 
and faithfully tended us. So come, let us teach him.” And they told him: “ Brahman 
is breath. Brahman is joy (ka). Brahman is space (kha).” 

5 He replied: “I can understand that brahman is breath. But I don’t understand 
how it can be joy or space.” 

“Joy is the same as space,” they replied, “and space is the same as joy.” And 
they explained to him both breath and space. 

n Thereupon, the householder’s fire instructed him: “Earth, fire, food, and 
sun — I am the person one sees in the sun; so I am all those.” 

2 “When someone knows this and venerates him in this way — he rids himself of 
bad actions; he provides himself with a world; he lives long and reaches the full 


223 



4.11.2 


The Early Upanisads 













Chandogya Upanisad 


4.15.2 


span of his life; and the line of his descendants will not die out. We will serve him 
in this world and the next — when someone knows this and venerates him in this 
way.” 


i i") Then the southern fire instructed him: “The waters, the quarters, the stars, 
_L jLm and the moon — I am the person one sees in the moon; so I am all those.” 

2 “When someone knows this and venerates him in this way — he rids himself 
of bad actions; he provides himself with a world; he lives long and reaches the full 
span of his life; and the line of his descendants will not die out. We will serve him 
in this world and the next — when someone knows this and venerates him in this 
way.” 


”1 O Finally, the offertorial fire instructed him: “Breath, space, sky, and light- 
_L 'J ning — I am the person one sees in lightning; so I am all those.” 

2 “When someone knows this and venerates him in this way — he rids himself of 
bad actions; he provides himself with a world; he lives long and reaches the full 
span of his life; and the line of his descendants will not die out. We will serve him 
in this world and the next — when someone knows this and venerates him in this 
way.” 


M Then the fires told him: “Upakosala! Son, now you have this knowledge 
both of ourselves and of the self ( atman ). Your teacher, however, will point 
out the goal to you.” 

His teacher finally returned. The teacher called out to him, “Upakosala!” 2 He 
responded: “Sir?” 

“Son, your face glows like that of a man who knows brahman. Tell me — who 
taught you?” 

“Who could possibly have taught me, sir?” — in so saying, he denies it in a way. 
And alluding to the fires, he continued: “These look like this now, but they were 
different.” 

“What did they tell you, son?” 

3 “This,” he acknowledged. 

“They did indeed tell you about the worlds, son. But I will tell you that about 
which it is said: ‘When someone knows it bad actions do not stick to him, just as 
water does not stick to a lotus leaf.’” 

“Sir, please teach me that.” 

And this is what he told him. 


"I PT “The person you see here in the eye — he is the self (atman),” he told him. 

“He is the immortal free from fear; he is brahman. So, even if someone 
pours water or ghee in that eye, it just runs to the two borders. 

2 “They call him ‘Lovely-uniting’ ( samyadvama ), for all lovely things ( vama ) 


225 



4 . 15.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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226 



Chandogya Upanisad 


4.17.3 


come in concert ( abhisamyanti ) to him. Ail lovely things oome in concert also to 
anyone who knows this. 

3 “He is also ‘Lovely-leading’ ( vamani ), for he leads ( til ) all lovely things 
iyama). Anyone who knows this also leads all lovely things. 

4 “He is also ‘Shining’ ( bhamani ), for he shines in all the worlds. Anyone who 
knows this also shines in all the worlds. 

5 “Now, whether they perform a cremation for such a person or not, people like 
him pass into the flame, from the flame into the day, from the day into the fortnight 
of the waxing moon, from the fortnight of the waxing moon into the six months 
when the sun moves north, from these months into the year, from the year into the 
sun, from the sun into the moon, and from the moon into the lightning. Then a per- 
son who is not human — he leads them to brahman. This is the path to the gods, the 
path to brahman. Those who proceed along this path do not return to this human 
condition.” 


"1 / The wind that purifies — that is the sacrifice. The wind, as it moves, purifies 
JL U this whole world. Because it purifies this whole world as it moves (yan), it 
is the sacrifice (yajha). 

Its two tracks are mind and speech. 1 2 One of those the Brahman priest con- 
structs with his mind, while the Hotr, Adhvaryu, and Udgatr priests construct the 
other with their speech. 

If it happens that the Brahman priest breaks in and speaks after the start of the 
morning litany and before its concluding verse, 3 * he constructs only one of the 
tracks, while the other is left out. So his sacrifice founders, just like a one-legged 
man, when he walks, or a cart, when it moves on just one wheel. And when the sac- 
rifice founders, the patron of that sacrifice also founders. He becomes a pauper after 
offering the sacrifice. 

4 If, on the other hand, the Brahman priest does not break in and speak after the 
start of the morning litany and before its concluding verse, the priests construct both 
the tracks, and neither is left out. 5 So his sacrifice becomes steady, just like a man 
walking with both feet, or a cart moving on both wheels. And when the sacrifice 
becomes steady, the patron of the sacrifice also becomes steady. He becomes a rich 
man after offering the sacrifice. 


1 Hr Prajapati incubated the worlds. And as they were being incubated, he ex- 
JL / tracted their essences — the fire from the earth, the wind from the inter- 
mediate region, and the sun from the sky. 

2 He incubated these three deities. And as they were being incubated, he ex- 
tracted their essences — the Rg verses from the fire, the Yajus formulas from the 
wind, and the Saman chants from the sun. 

3 He incubated this triple Veda. And as they were being incubated, he extracted 

their essences — the word bhur from the Rg verses, the word bhuvas from the Yajus 

formulas, and the word svar from the Saman chants. 


227 



4 . 17.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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228 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.1.7 


4 So, if the sacrifice suffers an injury on account of a Rg verse, he should make 
an offering in the householder’s fire with the words “bhuh svahal” This way he 
binds any injury suffered by the Rg verses and the sacrifice, using the very essence 
and power of the Rg verses. 

5 And if the sacrifice suffers an injury on account of a Yajus formula, he should 
make an offering in the southern fire with the words “bhuvah svahal ” This way he 
binds any injury suffered by the Yajus formulas and the sacrifice, using the very 
essence and power of the Yajus formulas. 

6 And if the sacrifice suffers an injury on account of a Saman chant, he should 
make an offering in the offertorial fire with the words “ svah svahal ” This way he 
binds any injury suffered by the Saman chants and the sacrifice, using the very es- 
sence and power of the Saman chants. 

7 Just as one binds gold with salt, silver with gold, tin with silver, lead with tin, 
copper with lead, wood with copper, and leather with wood, 8 so by the power of 
these worlds and of these deities and of this triple Veda he binds an injury done to a 
sacrifice. When one who knows this becomes the Brahman priest, that sacrifice is 
equipped with healing medicine. 9-10 And when one who knows this becomes the 
Brahman priest, that sacrifice inclines toward the north. There is this verse about the 
Brahman priest who knows this: 

Wherever it turns, 

there a human goes. 

Alone among the priests, 
the Brahman protects, 

Like a mare, the men of Kuru. 

A Brahman priest who knows this protects the sacrifice, the patron of the sacri- 
fice, and all the priests. Therefore, a man should select as his Brahman priest only 
someone who knows this, and never someone who is ignorant of this. 


ADHYAYA 5 


I When a man knows the best and the greatest, he becomes the best and the 
greatest. The best and the greatest is breath. 

2 When a man knows the most excellent, he becomes the most excellent among 
his people. The most excellent is speech. 

3 When a man knows the firm base, he stands firm in this world and the next. 
The firm base is sight. 

4 When a man knows the correspondence ( sampad ), his desires, both divine and 
human, are fulfilled (sampad-) for him. Correspondence is hearing. 

5 When a man knows the refuge, he becomes a refuge for his people. The refuge 
is the mind. 

6 Once the vital functions (prana) were arguing about who among them was the 
greatest, each claiming, “I am the greatest!” “I am the greatest!” 7 So these vital 


229 



5.1.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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230 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.2.4 


functions went to Prajapati, their father, and asked: “Sir, who is the greatest among 
us?” He told them: “The one, after whose departure the body appears to be in the 
worst shape, is the greatest among you.” 

8 So speech departed. After spending a year away, it returned and asked: “How 
did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the dumb would, 
without speaking, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with 
the ear, and reflecting with the mind.” So speech reentered. 

9 Then sight departed. After spending a year away, it returned and asked: “How 
did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the blind would, 
without seeing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, hearing with 
the ear, and reflecting with the mind.” So sight reentered. 

10 Then hearing departed. After spending a year away, it returned and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as the deaf 
would, without hearing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, seeing 
with the eye, and reflecting with the mind.” So hearing reentered. 

11 Then the mind departed. After spending a year away, it returned and asked: 
“How did you manage to live without me?” They replied: “We lived as simpletons 
would, without reflecting, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, see- 
ing with the eye, and hearing with the ear.” So the mind reentered. 

12 Then, as breath was setting off, it so jerked all the other vital functions — in 
the way a fine horse would jerk all the stakes to which it is tethered — that they all 
gathered around him and implored: “Lord, please stay! You are the greatest among 
us. Do not depart!” 

13 Then speech told him: “As I am the most excellent, so you will be the most 
excellent.” Sight told him: “As I am the firm base, so you will be the firm base.” 
14 Hearing told him: “As I am correspondence, so you will be correspondence.” The 
mind told him: “As I am the refuge, so you will be the refuge.” 

15 Surely, people do not call these “speeches,” or “sights,” or “hearings,” or 
“minds.” They call them only “breaths” [prana ), for only breath becomes all these. 


2 Breath then asked: “What will be my food?” They replied: “Everything that is 
here, right down to dogs and birds.” So this is how breath (ana) is actually food 
(anna). Now, its open name is ana. For a man who knows this, there is nothing that 
is not food. 

2 Then he asked: “What will be my clothes?” They replied: “Water.” Therefore, 
when people are preparing to eat, they surround that [food] with water both before 
and after. He is thus used to receiving a garment; he does not remain naked. 

3 After telling this to Gosruti Vaiyaghrapadya, Satyakama Jabala said: “Even if 
one were to say this to a withered stump, it would sprout new branches and grow 
new leaves.” 

4 Now, if a man is striving to achieve greatness, he should do the following. 
After undergoing the sacrificial consecration on the night of a new moon day, he 
should prepare a mixture of every type of herb together with curd and honey on the 
night of the full moon. 


231 



5 . 2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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232 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.3.3 


He should offer an oblation of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the best! To the 
greatest, svaha!” and pour the remainder into the mixture. 5 He should offer an ob- 
lation of ghee in the fire, saying: “To the most excellent, svaha!” and pour the 
remainder into the mixture. He should offer an oblation of ghee in the fire, saying: 
“To the firm base, svaha!” and pour the remainder into the mixture. He should offer 
an oblation of ghee in the fire, saying: “To correspondence, svaha!” and pour the 
remainder into the mixture. He should offer an oblation of ghee in the fire, saying: 
“To the refuge, svaha!” and pour the remainder into the mixture. 

6 He then slides back stealthily and, taking some of the mixture in his cupped 
hands, recites softly: “You are power ( ama ), for this whole world is at your side 
( ama ). For he is the best and greatest, the king and ruler. May he make me fore- 
most! May he lead me to greatness! May he make me a king and ruler! May I 
become this whole world!” 

7 Then, as he recites this Rg verse, he takes a sip of the mixture at each foot of 
the verse: 

“We choose that [food] of Savitr,” 

With that he takes a sip. 

“[that] food of the god [Savitr],” 

With that he takes a sip. 

“the greatest, the best creator of all.” 

With that he takes a sip. 

“Bhaga’s rich bounty would we create for ourselves.” 

With that he drinks the whole of the mixture. 

8 He then cleans the goblet or cup and lies down behind the fire on either a skin 
or the bare ground, remaining silent and unresistant. If he sees a woman, he should 
know that his rite has been successful. 9 In this connection, there is this verse: 

When a man sees a woman in his dreams 
During a rite to obtain a wish; 

He should recognize its success, 

In that dream vision. 

3 Svetaketu, the son of Aruni, came one day into the assembly of the land of 
Pancala. Pravahana Jaivali asked him: “Son, did your father teach you?” 
Svetaketu replied: “Yes indeed, my lord.” 

2 “Do you know where people go from here when they die?” 

“No, my lord.” 

“Do you know how they return again?” 

“No, my lord.” 

“Do you know how the two paths — the path to the gods and the path to the fa- 
thers — take different turns?” 

“No, my lord.” 

3 “Do you know how that world up there is not filled up?” 

“No, my lord.” 

“Do you know how at the fifth offering the water takes on a human voice?” 

“Not at all, my lord.” 


233 



5 . 3.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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234 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.8.2 


4 “Did you not say that you had been educated? Without knowing these things 
how can anyone call himself educated?” 

Deeply hurt, Svetaketu returned to his father’s house and told him: “Without 
actually teaching me, I dare say, you told me, sir, that you had taught me! 5 That 
excuse for a prince asked me five questions, and I couldn’t answer a single one of 
them.” 

The father said: “As you report them to me, son, I do not know the answer to 
even one of them. If I had known them, how could I have not taught them to you?” 

6 Gautama then came to the king’s place. When he arrived, the king received 
him with respect. In the morning Gautama went into the assembly hall, and the king 
said to him: “Gautama, sir, choose a gift of human riches.” Gautama responded: 
“Keep your human riches, Your Majesty. Tell me exactly what you told my boy.” 
The king became worried 7 and ordered him to stay a while longer. Finally he 
told him: “As you have told me, Gautama, before you this knowledge has never 
reached Brahmins. In all the worlds, therefore, government has belonged exclu- 
sively to royalty.” The king then told him: 

4 “A fire — that’s what the region up there is, Gautama. Its firewood is the sun; its 
smoke is the sunbeams; its flame is the day; its embers are the moon; and its 
sparks are the constellations. 2 In that very fire gods offer faith, and from that offer- 
ing springs King Soma. 

5 “A fire — that’s what a rain-cloud is, Gautama. Its firewood is the wind; its 
smoke is the thundercloud; its flame is lightning; its embers are thunder; and its 
sparks are hail. 2 In that very fire gods offer King Soma, and from that offering 
springs rain. 

6 “A fire — that’s what the earth is, Gautama. Its firewood is the year; its smoke 
is space; its flame is the night; its embers are the quarters; and its sparks are the 
intermediate quarters. 2 In that very fire gods offer rain, and from that offering 
springs food. 

7 “A fire — that’s what a man is, Gautama. His firewood is speech; his smoke is 
breath; his flame is the tongue; his embers are sight; and his sparks are hearing. 
2 In that very fire gods offer food, and from that offering springs semen. 

8 “A fire — that’s what a woman is, Gautama. Her firewood is the vulva; when 
she is asked to come close, that is her smoke; her flame is the vagina; when one 
penetrates her, that is her embers; and her sparks are the climax. 2 In that very fire 
gods offer semen, and from that offering springs the fetus. 


235 



5.8.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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236 







Chandogya Upanisad 


5.10.10 


9 “Therefore it is said: ‘at the fifth offering the waters take on a human voice.’ 
Covered by the placenta, the fetus lies inside the womb for nine or ten months 
or thereabouts and is then born. 2 Once he is born, he lives his allotted life span. 
When he has departed, when he has reached his appointed time — they take him to 
the very fire from which he came, from which he sprang. 


"I n "Now, the people who know this, and the people here in the wilderness who 
X U venerate thus: ‘Austerity is faith’ — they pass into the flame, from the flame 
into the day, from the day into the fortnight of the waxing moon, from the fortnight 
of the waxing moon into the six months when the sun moves north, 2 from these 
months into the year, from the year into the sun, from the sun into the moon, and 
from the moon into lightning. Then a person who is not human — he leads them to 
brahman. This is the path leading to the gods. 

3 “The people here in villages, on the other hand, who venerate thus: ‘Gift- 
giving is offerings to gods and to priests’ — they pass into the smoke, from the 
smoke into the night, from the night into the fortnight of the waning moon, and 
from the fortnight of the waning moon into the six months when the sun moves 
south. These do not reach the year 4 but from these months pass into the world of the 
fathers, and from the world of the fathers into space, and from space into the moon. 
This is King Soma, the food of the gods, and the gods eat it. 5 They remain there as 
long as there is a residue, and then they return by the same path they went — first to 
space, and from space to the wind. After the wind has formed, it turns into smoke; 
after the smoke has formed, it turns into a thundercloud; 6 after the thundercloud has 
formed, it turns into a rain-cloud; and after a rain-cloud has formed, it rains down. 
On earth they spring up as rice and barley, plants and trees, sesame and beans, from 
which it is extremely difficult to get out. When someone eats that food and deposits 
the semen, from him one comes into being again. 

7 “Now, people here whose behavior is pleasant can expect to enter a pleasant 
womb, like that of a woman of the Brahmin, the Ksatriya, or the Vaisya class. But 
people of foul behavior can expect to enter a foul womb, like that of a dog, a pig, or 
an outcaste woman. 

8 “Then there are those proceeding on neither of these two paths — they become 
the tiny creatures revolving here ceaselessly. ‘Be born! Die!’ — that is a third state. 

“As a result, that world up there is not filled up. 

“A man should seek to protect himself from that. On this point there is this 
verse: 

9 A man who steals gold, drinks liquor, 
and kills a Brahmin; 

A man who fornicates with his teacher’s wife — 
these four will fall. 

As also the fifth — he who consorts with them. 

10 “A man who knows these five fires in this way, however, is not tainted with 
evil even if he associates with such people. Anyone who knows this becomes pure 
and clean and attains a good world.” 


237 



5.11.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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238 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.13.1 


n PracInasala Aupamanyava, Satyayajna Paulusi, Indradyumna Bhallaveya, 
Jana Sarkaraksya, and Budila Asvatarasvi — these extremely wealthy and 
immensely learned householders got together once and began a deep examination of 
these questions: “What is our self {atman)l What is brahmanV 

2 And they reached this common conclusion: “Gentlemen, there is this man 
Uddalaka Aruni. At this very moment he is studying this self here, the one common 
to all men. Come, let’s go and meet him.” So they went to him. 

3 Uddalaka, for his part, concluded: “These extremely wealthy and immensely 
learned householders are bound to question me, and I will not be able to answer 
their questions in a complete way. The best thing to do is for me to refer them to 
someone else.” 4 So he told them: “Gentlemen, there is this man Asvapati Kaikeya. 
At this very moment he is studying this self here, the one common to all men. 
Come, let’s go and meet him.” So they went to him. 

5 When they arrived, Asvapati saw to it that each of them was received with due 
honor. Getting up in the morning, he said to them: 

“In my kingdom there are 
no thieves, no misers, no one who drinks; 
no one without learning or a sacred fire, 
no lecher, much less a whore! 

“Gentlemen, as you can see, I am about to perform a sacrifice. And I will give 
you a gift equal to what I will give each of the officiating priests. So, gentlemen, 
please stay here a while.” 

6 But they told him: “Surely, when a man is immersed in a particular topic, it is 
on that topic that he should speak. Currently it is this self here, the one common to 
all men, that is the focus of your study. So tell us about it.” 7 He replied: “I’ll give 
my response tomorrow.” 

So the next morning they returned to him carrying firewood in their hands. 
Without even initiating them as students, he said this to them: 


"1 O “Aupamanyava, what do you venerate as the self?” 

JL Z. “The sky, Your Majesty,” he replied. 

“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this brightly shining self 
here, the one common to all men. As a result we see in your family Soma being 
pressed ceaselessly and without a break. 2 You eat food and see what is pleasing. 
Likewise, when someone knows this self here, the one common to all men, in this 
way — he eats food and sees what is pleasing, and the luster of sacred knowledge 
arises in his family. This, however,” he said, “is only the head of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “your head would have shat- 
tered apart!” 


13 


Then he questioned Satyayajna Paulusi: “Praclnayogya, what do you vener- 
ate as the self?” 

The sun, Your Majesty,” he replied. 


239 



5.13.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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240 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.16.2 


“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this dazzling self here, 
the one common to all men. As a result we see in your family many a dazzling 
thing — 2 golden armlet, carriage drawn by a she-mule, slave-girl, golden pendant. 
You eat food and see what is pleasing. Likewise, when someone knows this self 
here, the one common to all men, in this way — he eats food and sees what is pleas- 
ing, and the luster of sacred knowledge arises in his family. This, however,” he said, 
“is only the eye of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “you would have gone blind!” 


M Theti he questioned Indradyumna Bhallaveya: “Vaiyaghrapadya, what do 
you venerate as the self?” 

“The wind, Your Majesty,” he replied. 

“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this self, the one com- 
mon to all men, which follows diverse paths. As a result tributes come to you from 
diverse sources, and rows upon rows of chariots fall to your share in diverse ways. 
2 You eat food and see what is pleasing. Likewise, when someone knows this self 
here, the one common to all men, in this way — he eats food and sees what is pleas- 
ing, and the luster of sacred knowledge arises in his family. This, however,” he said, 
“is only the breath of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “your breath would have left 
you!” 


'I J“ Then he questioned Jana: “Sarkaraksya, what do you venerate as the self?” 
X v_/ “Space, Your Majesty,” he replied. 

“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this ample self here, the 
one common to all men. As a result you have ample children and wealth. 2 You eat 
food and see what is pleasing. Likewise, when someone knows this self here, the 
one common to all men, in this way — he eats food and sees what is pleasing, and 
the luster of sacred knowledge arises in his family. This, however,” he said, “is only 
the trunk of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “your trunk would have crum- 
bled to pieces!” 



Then he questioned Budila Asvatarasvi: “Vaiyaghrapadya, what do you 
venerate as the self?” 


“The waters, Your Majesty,” he replied. 

“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this self here, the one 
common to all men, which is wealth. As a result you are wealthy and prosperous. 
2 You eat food and see what is pleasing. Likewise, when someone knows this self 
here, the one common to all men, in this way — he eats food and sees what is pleas- 
ing, and the luster of sacred knowledge arises in his family. This, however,” he said, 
“is only the bladder of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “your bladder would have 
burst!” 


241 



5 . 17.1 


The Early JJpanisads 


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242 



Chandogya Upanisad 


5.21.2 


"1 F“7 Then he questioned Uddalaka Aruni: “Gautama, what do you venerate as 
JL / the self?” 

“The earth, Your Majesty,” he replied. 

“What you venerate as the self,” Asvapati told him, “is this self here, the one 
common to all men, which is the firm basis. As a result you have a firm basis in 
children and livestock. 2 You eat food and see what is pleasing. Likewise, when 
someone knows this self here, the one common to all men, in this way — he eats 
food and sees what is pleasing, and the luster of sacred knowledge arises in his 
family. This, however,” he said, “is only the feet of the self.” 

“And if you hadn’t come to me,” he continued, “your feet would have withered 
away!” 

1 Q Then he said to them: “You who know this self here, the one common to all 
X O men, as somehow distinct — you eat food. But when someone venerates this 
self here, the one common to all men, as measuring the size of a span and as beyond 
all measure, he eats food within all the worlds, all the beings, and all the selves. 

2 “Now, of this self here, the one common to all men — the brightly shining is 
the head; the dazzling is the eye; what follows diverse paths is the breath; the ample 
is the trunk; wealth is the bladder; the earth is the feet; the sacrificial enclosure is 
the stomach; the sacred grass is the body hair; the householder’s fire is the heart; the 
southern fire is the mind; and the offertorial fire is the mouth. 

1 Q “The first morsels of food that one takes, therefore, are to be offered in sac- 
X y rifice. The first offering he makes, he should offer with the words: ‘To the 
out-breath, svaha!’ Thus the out-breath becomes satisfied. 2 And when the out-breath 
is satisfied, the sight becomes satisfied; when the sight is satisfied, the sun becomes 
satisfied; when the sun is satisfied, the sky becomes satisfied; when the sky is satis- 
fied, whatever the sky and the sun oversee is satisfied. Once these are satisfied, he 
himself, possessing children, livestock, a food supply, fame, and the luster of sacred 
knowledge, attains satisfaction. 

O D "The second offering he makes, he should offer with the words: ‘To the 
Z.U inter-breath, svaha!’ Thus the inter-breath becomes satisfied. 2 And when 
the inter-breath is satisfied, the hearing becomes satisfied; when the hearing is satis- 
fied, the moon becomes satisfied; when the moon is satisfied, the quarters become 
satisfied; when the quarters are satisfied, whatever the quarters and the moon over- 
see is satisfied. Once these are satisfied, he himself, possessing children, livestock, a 
food supply, fame, and the luster of sacred knowledge, attains satisfaction. 


y | “The third offering he makes, he should offer with the words: ‘To the in- 
breath, svaha!’ Thus the in-breath becomes satisfied. 2 And when the in- 
breath is satisfied, the speech becomes satisfied; when the speech is satisfied, the 
fire becomes satisfied; when the fire is satisfied, the earth becomes satisfied; when 
the earth is satisfied, whatever the earth and the fire oversee is satisfied. Once these 


243 



5 . 21.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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Chandogya Upanisad 


6 . 1.3 


are satisfied, he himself, possessing children, livestock, a food supply, fame, and the 
luster of sacred knowledge, attains satisfaction. 


O “The fourth offering he makes, he should offer with the words: ‘To the link- 

/ - ' breath, svaha!’ Thus the link-breath becomes satisfied. 1 2 And when the link- 

breath is satisfied, the mind becomes satisfied; when the mind is satisfied, the rain 
becomes satisfied; when the rain is satisfied, the lightning becomes satisfied; when 
the lightning is satisfied, whatever the lightning and the rain oversee is satisfied. 
Once these are satisfied, he himself, possessing children, livestock, a food supply, 
fame, and the luster of sacred knowledge, attains satisfaction. 

O O “The fifth offering he makes, he should offer with the words: ‘To the up- 
jLm'J breath, svaha!’ Thus the up-breath becomes satisfied. 2 And when the up- 
breath is satisfied, the wind becomes satisfied; when the wind is satisfied, space 
becomes satisfied; when space is satisfied, whatever the wind and space oversee is 
satisfied. Once these are satisfied, he himself, possessing children, livestock, a food 
supply, fame, and the luster of sacred knowledge, attains satisfaction. 


O A “If someone were to offer the daily fire sacrifice without knowing this, it 
ZJTX. would be as if he had removed the burning embers and made his offering on 
the ashes. 2 If, on the other hand, someone were to offer the daily fire sacrifice with 
this knowledge, that offering of his is made within all the worlds, all the beings, and 
all the selves. 

3 “When someone offers the daily fire sacrifice with this knowledge, all the bad 
things in him are burnt up like the tip of a reed stuck into a fire, therefore, even if 
a man who has this knowledge were to give his leftovers to an outcaste, thereby he 
would have made an offering in that self of his which is common to all men. On this 
point there is this verse: 

As around their mother here 
hungry children gather; 

So at the fire sacrifice, 

do all the beings gather.” 


ADHYAYA 6 


1 There was one Svetaketu, the son of Aruni. One day his father told him - 
“Svetaketu, take up the celibate life of a student, for there is no one in our fam- 
ily, my son, who has not studied and is the kind of Brahmin who is so only because 
of birth.” 

2 So he went away to become a student at the age of twelve and, after learning 

all the Vedas, returned when he was twenty-four, swellheaded, thinking himself to 
be learned, and arrogant. 3 His father then said to him: “Svetaketu, here you are, my 


245 



b.1.5 The Early Upamsads 

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Chandogya Upanisacl 


6.3.4 


son, swell-headed, thinking yourself to be learned, and arrogant; so you must have 
surely asked about that rule of substitution by which one hears what has not been 
heard of before, thinks of what has not been thought of before, and perceives what 
has not been perceived before?” 

“How indeed does that rule of substitution work, sir?” 

4 “It is like this, son. By means of just one lump of clay one would perceive 
everything made of clay — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the 
reality is just this; ‘It’s clay.’ 

5 “It is like this, son. By means of just one copper trinket one would perceive 
everything made of copper — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while 
the reality is just this: ‘It’s copper.’ 

6 “It is like this, son. By means of just one nail-cutter one would perceive every- 
thing made of iron — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the real- 
ity is just this: ‘It’s iron.’ 

“That, son, is how this rule of substitution works.” 

7 “Surely, those illustrious men did not know this, for had they known, how 
could they have not told it to me? So, why don’t you, sir, tell me yourself?” 

“All right, son,” he replied. 


2 “In the beginning, son, this world was simply what is existent — one only, 
without a second. Now, on this point some do say: ‘In the beginning this world 
was simply what is nonexistent — one only, without a second. And from what is 
nonexistent was born what is existent.’ 

2 “But, son, how can that possibly be?” he continued. “How can what is existent 
be born from what is nonexistent? On the contrary, son, in the beginning this world 
was simply what is existent — one only, without a second. 

3 “And it thought to itself: ‘Let me become many. Let me propagate myself.’ It 
emitted heat. The heat thought to itself: ‘Let me become many. Let me propagate 
myself.’ It emitted water. Whenever it is hot, therefore, a man surely perspires; and 
thus it is from heat that water is produced. 4 The water thought to itself: ‘Let me be- 
come many. Let me propagate myself.’ It emitted food. Whenever it rains, 
therefore, food becomes abundant; and thus it is from water that foodstuffs are pro- 
duced. 


3 “There are, as you can see, only three sources from which these creatures here 
originate: they are born from eggs, from living individuals, or from sprouts. 

2 “Then that same deity thought to itself: ‘Come now, why don’t I establish the 
distinctions of name and appearance by entering these three deities here with this 
living self ( atman ), 3 and make each of them threefold.’ So, that deity established 
the distinctions of name and appearance by entering these three deities here with 
this living self {atman), 4 and made each of them threefold. 

“Learn from me, my son, how each of these three deities becomes threefold. 


247 



6 . 4.1 


The Early Upanisads 



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Chandogya Upanisad 


6.6.5 


4 “The red appearance of a fire is, in fact, the appearance of heat, the white, that 
of water, and the black, that of food. So vanishes from the fire the character of 
fire — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the reality is just, ‘It’s 
the three appearances.’ 

2 “The red appearance of the sun is, in fact, the appearance of heat, the white, 
that of water, and the black, that of food. So vanishes from the sun the character of 
sun — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the reality is just, ‘It’s 
the three appearances.’ 

3 “The red appearance of the moon is, in fact, the appearance of heat, the white, 
that of water, and the black, that of food. So vanishes from the moon the character 
of moon — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the reality is just, 
‘It’s the three appearances.’ 

4 “The red appearance of lightning is, in fact, the appearance of heat, the white, 
that of water, and the black, that of food. So vanishes from lightning the character 
of lightning — the transformation is a verbal handle, a name — while the reality is 
just, ‘It’s the three appearances.’ 

5 “It was, indeed, this that they knew, those extremely wealthy and immensely 
learned householders of old, when they said: ‘Now no one will be able to spring 
something upon us that we have not heard of or thought of or understood before.’ 
For they derived that knowledge from these three — 6 when they noticed anything 
that was reddish, they knew: ‘That is the appearance of heat’; when they noticed 
anything that was whitish, they knew: ‘That is the appearance of water’; when they 
noticed anything that was blackish, they knew: ‘That is the appearance of food’; 
7 and when they noticed anything that was somehow indistinct, they knew: ‘That is 
a combination of these same three deities.’ 

“Learn from me, son, how, when they enter a man, each of these three deities 
becomes threefold. 

5 “When one eats food it breaks down into three parts. The densest becomes fe- 
ces, the medium becomes flesh, and the finest becomes mind. 2 When one 
drinks water it breaks down into three parts. The densest becomes urine, the me- 
dium becomes blood, and the finest becomes breath. 3 When one eats heat it breaks 
down into three parts. The densest becomes bones, the medium becomes marrow, 
and the finest becomes speech. 4 For the mind is made up of food, son; breath, of 
water; and speech, of heat.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son.” 

6 “When one churns curd, its finest part rises to the top and becomes butter. 2 In 
the same way, son, when one eats food its finest part rises to the top and be- 
comes mind; 3 when one drinks water its finest part rises to the top and becomes 
breath; 4 and when one eats heat its finest part rises to the top and becomes speech. 
5 For the mind is made up of food, son; breath, of water; and speech, of heat.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


249 



6 . 7.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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Chantlogya Upanisad 


6.8.5 


7 “A man, my son, consists of sixteen parts. Do not eat for fifteen days, but drink 
water at will. Breath is made of water; so it will not be cut off if one drinks.” 
2 Svetaketu did not eat for fifteen days. Then he came back to his father and 
said: “What shall I recite, sir?” 

“The Rg verses, the Yajus formulas, and the Saman chants.” 

“Sir, I just can’t remember them,” he replied. 3 And his father said to him: 

“It is like this, son. Out of a huge fire that one has built, if there is left only a 
single ember the size of a firefly — by means of that the fire thereafter would not 
burn all that much. Likewise, son, you are left with only one of your sixteen parts; 
by means of that at present you don’t remember the Vedas. 

“Eat, and then you will learn from me.” 

4 He ate and then came back to his father. And he answered everything that his 
father asked. 5 And the father said to him: 

“It is like this, son. Out of a huge fire that one has built,, if there is left only a 
single ember the size of a firefly and if one were to cover it with straw and set it 
ablaze— by means of that, the fire thereafter would burn very much. 6 Likewise, son, 
you were left with only one of your sixteen parts, and when you covered it with 
food, it was set ablaze— by means of that you now remember the Vedas, for the 
mind, son, is made up of food; breath, of water; and speech, of heat.” 

And he did, indeed, learn it from him. 


8 Uddalaka Aruni said to his son, Svetaketu: “Son, learn from me the nature of 
sleep. When one says here: ‘The man is sleeping,’ son, then he is united with 
the existent; into himself (sva) he has entered (apita). Therefore, people say with 
reference to him: ‘He is sleeping’ ( svapiti ), for then he has entered into himself. 

2 “It is like this. Take a bird that is tied with a string. It will fly off in every di- 
rection and, when it cannot find a resting place anywhere else, it will alight back 
upon the very thing to which it is tied. Similarly, son, the mind flies off in every 
direction and, when it cannot find a resting place anywhere else, it alights back 
upon the breath itself; for the mind, my son, is tied to the breath. 

3 “Son, learn from me about hunger and thirst. When one says here: ‘The man is 
hungry,’ then the water drives away with what he has eaten. So, just as one calls 
someone a ‘cattle-driver,’ or a ‘horse-driver,’ or a ‘man-driver,’ similarly one calls 
water ‘hunger’ — the ‘food-driver.’ 

“With regard to this, son, you should recognize this as a bud that has come out. 
It cannot be without a root, 4 and what could its root be if not food? Likewise, son, 
with food as the bud, look to water as the root; with water as the bud, look to heat as 
the root; and with heat as the bud, look to the existent as the root. The existent, my 
son, is the root of all these creatures — the existent is their resting place, the existent 
is their foundation. 

5 “When, moreover, one says here: ‘The man is thirsty,’ then the heat drives 
away with what he has drunk. So, just as one calls someone a ‘cattle-driver,’ or a 
‘horse-driver,’ or a ‘man-driver,’ similarly one calls heat ‘thirst’ — the ‘water- 
driver.’ 


251 



6 . 8.5 


The Early Upanisads 


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252 



Chandogya Upanisacl 


6.11.2 


“With regard to this, son, you should recognize this as a bud that has come out. 
It cannot be without a root, 6 and what could its root be if not water? Likewise, son, 
with water as the bud, look to heat as the root; and with heat as the bud, look to the 
existent as the root. The existent, my son, is the root of all these creatures — the ex- 
istent is their resting place, the existent is their foundation. 

“I have already explained to you, son, how, when they enter a man, each of 
these three deities become threefold. 

“When a man is dying, my son, his speech merges into his mind; his mind, into 
his breath; his breath, into heat; and heat, into the highest deity. 

7 “The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self ( atman ). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


9 “Now, take the bees, son. They prepare the honey by gathering nectar from a 
variety of trees and by reducing that nectar to a homogeneous whole. 2 In that 
state the nectar from each different tree is not able to differentiate: ‘I am the nectar 
of that tree,’ and ‘I am the nectar of this tree.’ In exactly the same way, son, when 
all these creatures merge into the existent, they are not aware that: ‘We are merging 
into the existent.’ 3 No matter what they are in this world — whether it is a tiger, a 
lion, a wolf, a boar, a worm, a moth, a gnat, or a mosquito — they all merge into that. 

4 “The finest essence here— that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self {atman). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 

"1 PI >1 N° W ’ take these rivers, son. The easterly ones flow toward the east, and 
X U the westerly ones flow toward the west. From the ocean, they merge into 
the very ocean; they become just the ocean. In that state they are not aware that: ‘I 
am that river,’ and ‘I am this river.’ 2 In exactly the same way, son, when all these 
creatures reach the existent, they are not aware that: ‘We are reaching the existent.’ 
No matter what they are in this world — whether it is a tiger, a lion, a wolf, a boar, a 
worm, a moth, a gnat, or a mosquito — they all merge into that. 

3 “The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self {atman). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 

n “Now, take this huge tree here, son. If someone were to hack it at the bot- 
tom, its living sap would flow. Likewise, if someone were to hack it in the 
middle, its living sap would flow; and if someone were to hack it at the top, its liv- 
ing sap would flow. Pervaded by the living ijiva) essence {atman), this tree stands 
here ceaselessly drinking water and flourishing. 2 When, however, life (jiva ) leaves 
one of its branches, that branch withers away. When it leaves a second branch, that 


253 



6 . 11.2 


The Early JJpanisads 


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254 



Chandogya Upanisacl 


6.13.3 


likewise withers away, and when it leaves a third branch, that also withers away. 
When it leaves the entire tree, the whole tree withers away. 

3 “In exactly the same way,” he continued, “know that this, of course, dies 
when it is bereft of life (jiva) ; but life itself does not die. 

“The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self ( dtman ). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


'1 O “Bring a banyan fruit.” 

X Am “Here it is, sir.” 

“Cut it up.” 

“I’ve cut it up, sir.” 

“What do you see there?” 

“These quite tiny seeds, sir.” 

“Now, take one of them and cut it up.” 

“I’ve cut one up, sir.” 

“What do you see there?” 

“Nothing, sir.” 

2 Then he told him: “This finest essence here, son, that you can’t even see — 
look how on account of that finest essence this huge banyan tree stands here. 

“Believe, my son: 3 the finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this 
whole world; that is the truth; that is the self (dtman). And that’s how you are, 
Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


"I O “Put this chunk of salt in a container of water and come back tomorrow.” 
JL vJ The son did as he was told, and the father said to him: “The chunk of salt 
you put in the water last evening — bring it here.” He groped for it but could not find 
it, 2 as it had dissolved completely. 

“Now, take a sip from this corner,” said the father. “How does it taste?” 

“Salty.” 

“Take a sip from the center. — How does it taste?” 

“Salty.” 

“Take a sip from that corner. — How does it taste?” 

“Salty.” 

“Throw it out and come back later.” He did as he was told and found that the 
salt was always there. The father told him: “You, of course, did not see it there, son; 
yet it was always right there. 

3 “The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self (dtman). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


255 



6.14.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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256 



Chandogya JJpanisad 


7 . 1.1 


M “Takc, for example, son, a man who is brought here blindfolded from the 
land of Gandhara and then left in a deserted region. As he was brought 
blindfolded and left there blindfolded, he would drift about there toward the east, or 
the north, or the south. 2 Now, if someone were to free him from his blindfold and 
tell him, ‘Go that way; the land of Gandhara is in that direction,’ being a learned 
and wise man, he would go from village to village asking for directions and finally 
arrive in the land of Gandhara. In exactly the same way in this world when a man 
has a teacher, he knows: ‘There is a delay for me here only until I am freed; but then 
I will arrive!’ 

3 “The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self ( atman ). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


'I “Take, for example, son, a man gravely ill. His relatives gather around him 

JL and ask: ‘Do you recognize me?’ ‘Do you recognize me?’ As long as his 

voice does not merge into his mind; his mind, into his breath; his breath, into heat; 
and heat, into the highest deity, he recognizes them. 2 When, however, his voice 
merges into his mind; his mind, into his breath; his breath, into heat; and heat, into 
the highest deity, then he no longer recognizes them. 

3 “The finest essence here — that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is 
the truth; that is the self {atman). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.” 

“Sir, teach me more.” 

“Very well, son. 


*1 / “Take, for example, son, a manacled man brought here by people shouting: 
_L v/ ‘He’s a thief! He has committed a theft! Heat an ax for him!’ Now, if he is 
guilty of the crime, then he turns himself into a lie; uttering a lie and covering him- 
self in a lie, he takes hold of the ax and gets burnt, upon which he is executed. 2 If, 
on the other hand, he is innocent of the crime, then he turns himself into the truth; 
uttering the truth and covering himself with the truth, he takes hold of the ax and is 
not burnt, upon which he is released. 

3 “What on that occasion prevents him from being burnt — that constitutes the 
self of this whole world; that is the truth; that is the self {atman). And that’s how 
you are, Svetaketu.” 

And he did, indeed, learn it from him. 


ADHYAYA 7 


1 “Sir, teach me,” said Narada as he came up to Sanatkumara. He replied: “Come 
to me with what you know. Then I’ll tell you what more there is to know.” 


257 



7 . 1.1 


The Early Upanisads 


art? wtsstt qcgtf wtaaiatt qrw tat 

tt fta dRi ta trft c H i c+-: j m i -n J' i cr. • <., h ctft i araftat rrafaai atrldar 
atawftwta^atstt IRII 

t tSf wfr atttrrft aTcaRcf I W #T t wa^twwrft tt- 
awftftci I tsf w: tat I t ar wraiw at diwftt I t 
fl^TET at fttcTawftr attcTcT IRII 

•THT ar dttal agt?: mat? wtaSTgt qawt 

taraT ta ftt <t1ai RftWt iat aiaa tt^ii sfttar ^rcTf^rar 
sratrar a^atrar ataaaftar l attar I artaRtft IRII 

a t ara ttgaTt I araart at aarra aarawarcr aait 1 t 
aW 5icUr'JHkr-‘' I tt wt TT5 1 *Ta ^fcT I at ara ^tstrft I ct 
Wdl^tlftlfd I IHII 

1 1 tr aw: ?a>a 1 1 


cfF^W at ^Rt I dHdT d?. t <? [ct^l IM^fci a^ft? dldtaiat’l 
ati-t <id<t arw tat t? fta aft ta ftt aataraattrat 
taftarr si^tt ratat attar aarttsrf dHctdaltt fta a 'jftt a 
aij wi xnw tag- tana awart q^a - aafft a ^ n dw- 
ell ^ma^itkHdflfitdt 1 snf art a art arjt a ara arara a 
^aat ar|aat a l at ara araftw at arat ^awritwr act 
arjt a ara awf a ^awr ai^raair 3 l arttat ftartt ar=pj- 
mtlt IRII 

a - t art atgait I araart at craw aarawart aatr tr 
art attgat I aftr war art ^a tt I art ara ^ansaftft I at 
warttaft IRII 

1 1 tr fttta: ipa: 1 1 

at ara art ga; I aar 1 t arwt t ar trt t aT# tta- 
aatra art a ara a arataaaft I a aar aw aaraft awr 


258 



Chandogya Upanisad 


7.3.1 


Narada told him : 2 “I have studied the Rgveda, sir, as also the Yajurveda, the 
Samaveda, the Atharvana as the fourth, the corpus of histories and ancient tales 
asthe fifth Veda among the Vedas, ancestral rites, mathematics, soothsaying, the art 
of locating treasures, the dialogues, the monologues, the science of gods, the sci- 
ence of the ritual, the science of spirits, the science of government, the science of 
heavenly bodies, and the science of serpent beings. All that, sir, I have studied.” 
3 And he continued: “Here I am, a man who knows all the vedic formulas but is ig- 
norant of the self. And I have heard it said by your peers that those who know the 
self pass across sorrow. Here I am, sir, a man full of sorrow. Please, sir, take me 
across to the other side of sorrow.” 

Sanatkuinara said to him: “Clearly, all that you have studied is nothing but 
name. 3 4 The Rgveda is name, and so are the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Athar- 
vana as the fourth, the corpus of histories and ancient tales as the fifth Veda among 
the Vedas, ancestral rites, mathematics, soothsaying, the art of locating treasures, 
the dialogues, the monologues, the science of gods, the science of the ritual, the 
science of spirits, the science of government, the science of heavenly bodies, and 
the science of serpent beings. All that is nothing but name. So, venerate the name. 

5 “If someone venerates brahman as name — well, a man obtains complete free- 
dom of movement in every place reached by name, if he venerates brahman as 
name.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than name?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than name.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 

2 “Speech, undoubtedly, is greater than name, for speech makes known the 
Rgveda, as it does the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Atharvana as the fourth, 
the corpus of histories and ancient tales as the fifth Veda among the Vedas, ances- 
tral rites, mathematics, soothsaying, the art of locating treasures, the dialogues, the 
monologues, the science of gods, the science of the ritual, the science of spirits, the 
science of government, the science of heavenly bodies, and the science of serpent 
beings; and sky, earth, wind, space, water, fire, gods, humans, domestic animals, 
birds, grasses, trees, and wild beasts down to the very worms, moths, and ants; as 
well as the right ( dharma ) and the wrong ( adharma ), truth and falsehood, good and 
evil, and the pleasant and the unpleasant. For, if there were no speech, neither the 
right nor the wrong would be made known, nor even truth or falsehood, good or 
evil. Speech alone makes all this known. So, venerate speech.” 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as speech — well, a man obtains complete 
freedom of movement in every place reached by speech, if he venerates brahman as 
speech. 

“Sir, is there anything greater than speech?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than speech.” 

“Sir, please tell me that." 

3 “The mind, undoubtedly, is greater than speech, for as a closed fist would en- 

velop a couple of myrobalans or jujubes, or a pair of dice, so indeed does the 


259 









Chandogya Upanisad 


7.5.2 


mind envelop both speech and name. When a man makes up his mind: ‘I should 
recite the vedic formulas,’ then he undertakes their recitation; or: ‘I should perform 
the rites,’ then he undertakes their performance; or: ‘I should try to obtain children 
and livestock,’ then he tries to obtain them; or: ‘I should try to win for myself this 
world and the next,’ then he tries to win them. For the self ( atman ) is the mind, the 
world is the mind, brahman is the mind! So, venerate the mind. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as the mind — well, a man obtains complete 
freedom of movement in every place reached by the mind, if he venerates brahman 
as the mind.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than the mind?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than the mind.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


4 “Intention, undoubtedly, is greater than the mind, for it is only after a man has 
formed an intention that he makes up his mind; after that, he vocalizes his 
speech — and he vocalizes it to articulate a name. The vedic formulas are contained 
in the name, and rites, in the vedic formulas. 

2 “Now, intention ( samkalpa ) is the point of convergence of all these things; 
intention is their essence ( atman)-, and on intention they are based. The earth and the 
sky were patterned through an intention; wind and space were patterned through an 
intention; water and fire were patterned through an intention. According to their 
intention ( samklpti ) was patterned ( samkalpate ) rain; according to the intention of 
rain was patterned food; according to the intention of food were patterned the vital 
breaths (prana ); according to the intention of the vital breaths were patterned the 
vedic formulas; according to the intention of the vedic formulas were patterned 
rites; according to the intention of rites was patterned the world; and according to 
the intention of the world was patterned the Whole. All that is intention! So, vener- 
ate intention. 

3 “If someone venerates brahman as intention — well, himself remaining con- 
stant, firmly based, and steadfast, a man wins the worlds patterned after his 
intention, worlds that are constant, firmly based, and steadfast; and he obtains com- 
plete freedom of movement in every place reached by intention, if he venerates 
brahman as intention.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than intention?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than intention.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


5 “Thought, undoubtedly, is greater than intention, for it is only after a man has 
given some thought that he forms an intention; after that, he makes up his 
mind; then he vocalizes his speech — and he vocalizes it to articulate a name. The 
vedic formulas are contained in the name, and rites, in the vedic formulas. 

2 “Now, thought is the point of convergence of all these things; thought is their 
essence ( atman ); and on thought they are based. Therefore, when a man, although 
very learned, is thoughtless, people say about him: ‘He is good for nothing!’ no 


261 



7 . 5.2 


The Early Upanisads 


3rf%tf: 2 pnWrf I 3T^r ffW IT^tcT I f^rf 








Chandogya Upanisad 


7.7.2 


matter what he knows, thinking, ‘If he was truly learned, he would not be so 
thoughtless.’ If, on the other hand, a man of little learning is thoughtful, people are 
going to listen to him, for thought is the point of convergence of all these; thought is 
their essence; and on thought they are based. So, venerate thought. 

3 “If someone venerates brahman as thought — well, himself remaining con- 
stant, firmly based, and steadfast, a man wins the worlds that he sets his thought on, 
worlds that are constant, firmly based, and steadfast; and he obtains complete 
freedom of movement in every place reached by thought, if he venerates brahman 
as thought.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than thought?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than thought.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


6 “Deep reflection, undoubtedly, is greater than thought, for the earth in a sense 
is reflecting deeply; the intermediate region in a sense is reflecting deeply; the 
sky in a sense is reflecting deeply; the waters in a sense are reflecting deeply; the 
hills in a sense are reflecting deeply; and gods and men in a sense are reflecting 
deeply. Therefore, those who achieve eminence among men in this world have, in 
some sense, received their share of the fruits of deep reflection. Small-minded men 
are cantankerous, backbiting, and offensive, whereas those who are noble-minded 
have, in some sense, received their share of the fruits of deep reflection. So, vener- 
ate deep reflection. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as deep reflection — well, a man obtains com- 
plete freedom of movement in every place reached by deep reflection, if he 
venerates brahman as deep reflection.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than deep reflection?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than deep reflection.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


7 “Perception, undoubtedly, is greater than deep reflection, for it is through the 
faculty of perception that one comes to perceive the Rgveda, the Yajurveda, the 
Samaveda, the Atharvana as the fourth, the corpus of histories and ancient tales as 
the fifth Veda among the Vedas, ancestral rites, mathematics, soothsaying, the art of 
locating treasures, the dialogues, the monologues, the science of gods, the science 
of the ritual, the science of spirits, the science of government, the science of heav- 
enly bodies, and the science of serpent beings; and sky, earth, wind, space, water, 
fire, gods, humans, domestic animals, birds, grasses, trees, and wild beasts down to 
the very worms, moths, and ants; as well as the right and the wrong, truth and false- 
hood, good and evil, the pleasant and the unpleasant, food and drink, this world and 
the next — it is indeed through the faculty of perception that one perceives these. So, 
venerate perception. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as perception — well, a man wins the worlds 
possessing perception and knowledge; he obtains complete freedom of movement in 
every place reached by perception, if he venerates brahman as perception.” 


263 










Chandogya Upanisad 


7.10.2 


“Sir, is there anything greater than perception?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than perception.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 

8 “Strength, undoubtedly, is greater than perception, for one strong man strikes 
terror into the hearts of even a hundred men of perception. When someone 
becomes strong, he comes to stand; when he stands, he comes to be one who serves; 
when he serves, he comes to be a pupil; when he becomes a pupil, he comes to be a 
man who sees, hears, thinks, discerns, performs rites, and perceives. By strength 
does the earth persist, by strength also the intermediate region, the sky, the hills, 
gods, humans, domestic animals, birds, grasses, trees, and wild beasts down to the 
very worms, moths, and ants. By strength does the world persist. So, venerate 
strength. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as strength — a man obtains complete freedom 
of movement in every place reached by strength, if he venerates brahman as 
strength.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than strength?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than strength.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


9 “Food, undoubtedly, is greater than strength. Therefore, if someone were to 
abstain from eating even for ten days and should continue to live, he neverthe- 
less becomes unable to see, to hear, to think, to discern, to perform rites, or to per- 
ceive. Upon returning to food, on the other hand, he becomes a man who is able to 
see, to hear, to think, to discern, to perform rites, and to perceive. So, venerate food. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as food — well, a man wins the worlds pos- 
sessing food and drink; he obtains complete freedom of movement in every place 
reached by food, if he venerates brahman as food.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than food?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than food.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 

'I A “Water, undoubtedly, is greater than food. Therefore, when rain is not 
1U plentiful, the vital functions (prana ) become despondent at the thought, 
‘Food is going to get scarce.’ When, on the other hand, rain becomes plentiful, the 
vital functions become joyous at the thought, ‘There’ll be plenty of food.’ All these 
are simply specific forms of water — earth, intermediate region, sky, hills, gods, hu- 
mans, domestic animals, birds, grasses, trees, and wild beasts down to the very 
worms, moths, and ants; they are simply specific forms of water. So, venerate wa- 
ter. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as water ( dp ) — well, a man obtains ( apnoti ) 
all his desires and becomes completely satisfied; he obtains complete freedom of 
movement in every place reached by water, if he venerates brahman as water.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than water?” 


265 



7.10.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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3 T^fr 5 fW I cF^T I 

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I 3Tfef w: fTRraqr 3fc 



Ml 










Chandogya Upanisad 


7.13.2 


“Yes, there is something greater than water.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 

n “Heat, undoubtedly, is greater than water. So, when that holds back the 
wind and heats up the space, people say: ‘It’s sizzling! It’s a scorcher! It’s 
going to rain.’ Consequently, after revealing the heat first, there pours down the 
water. Then, thunder rolls with lightning streaking upward and across the sky. Peo- 
ple, therefore, say: ‘Lightning is flashing! Thunder is rolling! It’s going to rain.’ 
Consequently, after revealing the heat first, there pours down the water. So, vener- 
ate heat. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as heat ( tejas ) — well, becoming full of radi- 
ance ( tejasvin ), a man wins worlds that are full of radiance, worlds that are bright 
and free from darkness; he obtains complete freedom of movement in every place 
reached by heat, if he venerates brahman as heat.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than heat?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than heat.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 

' 1 O “Space, undoubtedly, is greater than heat, for both the sun and the moon, as 
X Z. well as lightning, stars, and fire, are found in space. Across space one calls 
out to someone, across space one hears that call, and across space one answers back. 
Within space one enjoys pleasure, and throughout space one enjoys pleasure. 
Within space one is born, and into space one is born. So, venerate space. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as space ( akasa ) — well, a man wins worlds 
that are spacious ( akasavat ), worlds that are wide open (pr akasa), unconfined, and 
far-flung; he obtains complete freedom of movement in every place reached by 
space, if he venerates brahman as space.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than space?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than space.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


B “Memory, undoubtedly, is greater than space. Therefore, if people should 
assemble who do not remember — even many such people — they would not 
be able to hear, consider, or recognize anything. When they do remember, then they 
would be able to hear, consider, and recognize. Clearly, it is through memory that 
one recognizes one’s children and cattle. So, venerate memory. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as memory — well, a man obtains complete 
freedom of movement in every place reached by memory, if he venerates brahman 
as memory.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than memory?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than memory.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


267 



7 . 14.1 


The Early Upanisads 


3TT5TT 3W FRT^Rfr I t FTCt ^TFTeM cfriffftr WiT 

c\ o o 

'T^^cT m cilcbJW %r? 5ft- I 3TT^TgW^T 1 1 ? II 

?r *r 3rrat I mrni: ^pzrfRr I snfmr 

frwflpfr mfci I me cfsn^r wwryTfr ir^fcr y srrat 

l 3rfer wm smrni vm ffcr I snwrr W;i«rRi I cf*T 
^H J i c (i r 5(41R : ciRr ll^ll 

1 1 ffcT mg&l: w^: 1 1 


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?p#ciTT I yw: mm ^nfcT I sft: mi mM I mm mMi I mil w f^Tcrr I 
stmt mm I mfr mm I aw: mm I yw 3irypf : I y^fr mmr: 1 1 ? 1 1 
Ei yRt ftcit err htctt err mm m mm$ 3T stierw m 










Chandogya Upanisad 


7 . 18.1 


M “Hope, undoubtedly, is greater than memory, for only when it is kindled 
with hope does memory recite vedic formulas, engage in ritual activities, 
seek to obtain children and livestock, and aspire to winning this world and the next. 
So, venerate hope. 

2 “If someone venerates brahman as hope — well, by mere hope, all his desires 
are fulfilled and his prayers are answered; he obtains complete freedom of move- 
ment in every place reached by hope, if he venerates brahman as hope.” 

“Sir, is there anything greater than hope?” 

“Yes, there is something greater than hope.” 

“Sir, please tell me that.” 


■j “Lifebreath, undoubtedly, is greater than hope, for all this is fixed to life- 

JL breath, as spokes are fixed to the hub. Lifebreath proceeds by means of 

lifebreath; lifebreath gives lifebreath and gives to lifebreath. The father is lifebreath; 
the mother is lifebreath; a brother is lifebreath; a sister is lifebreath; a teacher is 
lifebreath; and a Brahmin is lifebreath. 

2 “Now, if someone were to talk back somewhat harshly to his father, mother, 
brother, sister, or teacher, or to a Brahmin, people are sure to rebuke him, saying: 
‘Damn you! You are a patricide! You are a matricide! You are a fratricide! You are 
a sororicide! You are a teacher-killer! You are a Brahmin-killer!’ 3 When their life- 
breath has left them, on the other hand, even if someone were to throw them in a 
pile with a poker and burn them up completely, no one would say to him: ‘You are 
a patricide! You are a matricide! You are a fratricide! You are a sororicide! You are 
a teacher-killer! You are a Brahmin-killer!’ — 4 for only lifebreath becomes all 
these.” 

A man who sees it this way, thinks about it this way, and perceives it this way 
becomes a man who outtalks. And if people tell him, ‘You are a man who out- 
talks,’ he should readily acknowledge, ‘Yes, I am a man who outtalks,’ and not 
deny it. 


16 


Now, a man outtalks only when he outtalks with truth.” 
Yes, sir, I’m going to be a man who outtalks with truth.” 
Then you should seek to perceive the truth.” 

Sir, I do seek to perceive the truth.” 


"1 ^7 “Now, a man must first perceive before he speaks the truth — when one does 
_L / not perceive, one does not speak the truth; only when one perceives does 
one speak the truth. So, it is perception that you should seek to understand.” 

“Sir, I do seek to understand perception.” 


"I Q man must fi rst think before he perceives — when one does not think, one 

X O does not perceive; only when one thinks does one perceive. So, it is think- 
ing that you should seek to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive thinking.” 


269 



7 . 19.1 


The Early Upanisads 


W t* JSr^TTcW I ^PST^Frg^' I TRcT I ^ ^ 

i%f^T%cfcJf 1 cr I 55 rat wfr fief ii?ii 

1 1 ^feT 1 1 

w t faffcre?W I Hiftftdfcbo^enfcr I f^^cr ssr^nfer I 
faw f^rfnftci^ticr l ftw m^r f^rw ?fcr II?|| 

I ! ?fcr ft?r: 1 1 






Chandogya Upanisad 


7.25.1 


A Q "A man must f irst have faith before he thinks — when one does not have 
_L y faith, one does not think; only when one has faith does one think. So, it is 
faith that you should seek to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive faith.” 


O n " 'A man must first produce before he has faith — when one does not pro- 
duce, one does not have faith; only when one produces does one have faith. 
So, it is production that you should seek to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive production.” 


O "1 “A man must first act before he produces — when one does not act, one does 
Z« JL not produce; only when one acts does one produce. So, it is action that you 
should seek to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive action.” 

O O “A man must first attain well-being before he acts — when one has not at- 
tained well-being, one does not act; only when one has attained well-being 
does one act. So, it is well-being that you should seek to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive well-being.” 


O Q “Now, well-being is nothing but plenitude. There is no prosperity in scar- 
jLm\ J city. Prosperity is indeed plenitude. So, it is plenitude that you should seek 
to perceive.” 

“Sir, I do seek to perceive plenitude.” 


O A “Where a man sees, hears, or discerns no other thing — that is plenitude. 
Z-Tt Where one sees, hears, or discerns some other thing — that is scarcity. Now, 
plenitude is the immortal, while scarcity constitutes what is mortal.” 

“Sir, on what is plenitude based?” 

“On one’s own greatness. Or, maybe, it is not based on greatness. 2 Cattle and 
horses, elephants and gold, slaves and wives, farms and houses — these are what 
people here call greatness. But I don’t consider them that way; no, I don’t, for they 
are all based on each other. 


O C “Plenitude, indeed, is below; plenitude is above; plenitude is in the west; 

plenitude is in the east; plenitude is in the south; and plenitude is in the 
north. Indeed, plenitude extends over this whole world. 

“Now, the substitution of the word T — ‘I am, indeed, below; I am above; I am 
in the west; I am in the east; I am in the south; and I am in the north. Indeed, I ex- 
tend over this whole world.’ 


271 



7.25.2 


The Early Upanisads 


3 FTRF Slic-HK^T ^ I STTc^cllfel WRlrHlHK^KIrHI q^iqic+ll ^TFcTT- 
^1W ^WcT 3TlWPfRcf 3TT?t^ HcffWcT I q^T?[^ xp^FT ^ 


rsftc 


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F wfcr f^rarr Fcifcr qwOT I 
pram mrm % pgcn I 

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1 1 ^fcT mfsn 1 1 

II ffcT ^FF^WTFT: II 






Chandogya JJpanisad 


8 . 1.1 


2 “Next, the substitution of self — ‘The self, indeed, is below; the self is above; 
the self is in the west; the self is in the east; the self is in the south; and the self is in 
the north. Indeed, the self extends over this whole world.’ 

“A man who sees it this way, thinks about it this way, and perceives it this way; 
a man who finds pleasure in the self, who dallies with the self, who mates with the 
self, and who attains bliss in the self — he becomes completely his own master; he 
obtains complete freedom of movement in all the worlds. Those who perceive it 
otherwise, however, are ruled over by others and obtain perishable worlds; they 
have no freedom of movement in any of the worlds. 


O “When, indeed, a man sees it this way, thinks about it this way, and per- 
ZiU ceives it this way — lifebreath springs from his self; hope springs from his 
self; memory springs from his self; space springs from his self; heat springs from 
his self; water springs from his self; appearance and disappearance spring from his 
self; food springs from his self; strength springs from his self; perception springs 
from his self; deep reflection springs from his self; thought springs from his self; 
intention springs from his self; mind springs from his self; speech springs from his 
self; name springs from his self; vedic formulas spring from his self; and rites 
spring from his self. Indeed, this whole world springs from his self.” 

2 In this regard there is this verse: 


When a man rightly sees, 
he sees no death, 
no sickness or distress. 

When a man rightly sees, 
he sees all, 
he wins all, 
completely. 

It is single, it’s three- and fivefold. 

It’s thought to be sevenfold, 
nine- or even elevenfold. 

One hundred and eleven, 

And also twenty thousand. 


When one’s food is pure, one’s being becomes pure; when one’s being is pure, 
one’s memory becomes strong; and when one acquires memory, all the knots are 
cut away. To such a man who has wiped away all stains Lord Sanatkumara points 
out the way to cross beyond darkness. It is he whom people refer to as Skanda. 


ADHYAYA 8 


1 “Now, here in this fort of brahman there is a small lotus, a dwelling place, and 
within it, a small space. In that space there is something — and that’s what you 
should try to discover, that’s what you should seek to perceive.” 


273 














Chandogya Upanisad 


8.2.7 


2 If they ask him: “Yes, here in this fort of brahman there is a small lotus, a 
dwelling place, and within it, a small space. But what is there in that space that we 
should try to discover, that we should seek to perceive?” — he should reply: 

3 “As vast as this space here all around us, 
is that space within the heart; 

And in it are contained both earth and sky, 

Both fire and wind, both the sun and the moon 
(both lightning and the stars); 

Both what belongs to it and what does not, 
in it is contained all that.” 

4 If they ask him further: “In this fort of brahman is contained the whole world, 
all beings, and all desires. In that case, when old age overtakes it or when it per- 
ishes, what is then left?” — 2 3 4 5 he should reply: 

“That does not age, 

as this body grows old; 

That is not killed, 

when this body is slain — 

That is the real fort of brahman, 
in it are contained all desires. 

“That is the self free from evils — free from old age and death, free from sor- 
row, free from hunger and thirst; the self whose desires and intentions become real. 

“As the subjects of a king here in this world settle down as instructed, and 
whatever frontier they covet — whatever region, whatever piece of land-— they make 
a living on it; 6 7 and as here in this world the possession of a territory won by action 
comes to an end, so in the hereafter a world won by merit comes to an end. 

“So, those here in this world who depart without having discovered the self and 
these real desires do not obtain complete freedom of movement in any of the 
worlds, whereas those here in this world who depart after discovering the self and 
these real desires obtain complete freedom of movement in all the worlds. 

2 “If such a person desires the world of fathers, by his intention alone fathers rise 
up. And, securing the world of the fathers, he rejoices. 

2 “If such a person desires the world of mothers, by his intention alone mothers 
rise up. And, securing the world of mothers, he rejoices. 

3 “If such a person desires the world of brothers, by his intention alone brothers 
rise up. And, securing the world of brothers, he rejoices. 

4 “If such a person desires the world of sisters, by his intention alone sisters rise 
up. And, securing the world of sisters, he rejoices. 

5 “If such a person desires the world of friends, by his intention alone friends 
rise up. And, securing the world of friends, he rejoices. 

6 “If such a person desires the world of perfumes and garlands, by his intention 
alone perfumes and garlands rise up. And, securing the world of perfumes and gar- 
lands, he rejoices. 

7 “If such a person desires the world of food and drink, by his intention alone 
food and drink rise up. And, securing the world of food and drink, he rejoices. 


275 



8 . 2.8 


The Early Upanisads 


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276 



Chandogya Upanisad 


8.5.1 


8 “If such a person desires the world of singing and music, by his intention 
alone singing and music rise up. And, securing the world of singing and music, he 
rejoices. 

9 “If such a person desires the world of women, by his intention alone women 
rise up. And, securing the world of women, he rejoices. 

10 “Whatever may be the object of his desire, anything that he may desire — by 
his intention alone it rises up. And, securing it, he rejoices. 

3 “Now, these real desires are masked by the unreal. Although they are real, they 
have the unreal for a mask, for when someone close to him departs from this 
world, he doesn’t get to see him here. 2 On the other hand, people who are close to 
him, whether they are alive or dead, as well as anything else that he desires but does 
not get — all that he finds by going there, for these real desires of his masked by the 
unreal are located there. 

“Take, for example, a hidden treasure of gold. People who do not know the ter- 
rain, even when they pass right over it time and again, would not discover it. In 
exactly the same way, all these creatures, even though they go there every day, do 
not discover this world of brahman, for they are led astray by the unreal. 

3 “Now, this self ( atman ) is located in the heart. And this is its etymology — ‘in 
the heart (hrdi) is this (ay am),' and so it is called ‘heart’ ( hrdayam ). Anyone who 
knows this goes to the heavenly world every single day. 

4 “This deeply serene one who, after he rises up from this body and reaches the 
highest light, emerges in his own true appearance — that is the self,” he said, “that is 
the immortal; that is the one free from fear; that is brahman.'” 

Now, the name of this brahman is “Real” ( satyam ). 5 This word has three sylla- 
bles: sa, ti, and yam. Of these, sat is the immortal, and ti is the mortal, while the 
syllable yam is what joins ^hose two together. Because the two are joined together 
(yam) by it, it is called yam. Anyone who knows this goes to the heavenly world 
every single day. 

4 Now, this self is a dike, a divider, to keep these worlds from colliding with 
each other. Days and nights do not pass across this dike, and neither does old 
age, death, or sorrow, or even good or bad deeds. All evil things turn back from it, 
for this world of brahman is free from evil things. 

2 Upon passing across this dike, therefore, a blind man turns out not to be blind, 
a wounded man turns out not to be wounded, and a sick man turns out not to be 
sick. Upon passing across this dike, therefore, one even passes from night into day, 
for, indeed, this world of brahman is lit up once and for all. 

3 So, only those who find this world of brahman (brahmaloka) by living the life 
of a celibate student (brahmacarya) come to possess that world, and they obtain 
complete freedom of movement in all the worlds. 

5 Now, what people normally call a sacrifice (yajha) is, in reality, the life of a 
celibate student, for it is by the life of a celibate student that one finds him who 


277 



8 . 5.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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278 



Chandogya Upanisad 


8 . 7.1 


(yah) is the knower ( jnata ). And what people normally call an offering ( ista) is, in 
reality, the life of a celibate student, for it is by seeking ( istva ) through the life of a 
celibate student that one finds the self. 2 Further, what people normally call “the 
embarking on a long sacrifice’’ ( sattrdyana ) is, in reality, the life of a celibate stu- 
dent, for it is by the life of a celibate student that one finds protection (tram) for 
that which is (sat), for the self (atman). And what people normally call a vow of 
silence ( mauna ) is, in reality, the life of a celibate student, for it is through the life 
of a celibate student that one finds the self and then thinks ( manute ) of it. 3 What 
people normally call “the embarking on a fast” (anasakayana), moreover, is, in re- 
ality, the life of a celibate student, for the self one finds by living the life of a 
celibate student does not perish (na nas'yati). 

And finally, what people normally call “the embarking to the wilderness” 
(aranydyana) is, in reality, the life of a celibate student. Now, Ara and Nya are the 
two seas in the world of brahman, that is, in the third heaven from here. In that 
world are also the lake Airammadtya, the banyan tree Somasavana, the fort 
Aparajita, and brahman’ s golden hall Prabhu. 

4 So, only those who, by the life of a celibate student, find these two seas, Ara 
and Nya, in the world of brahman come to possess that world, and they obtain com- 
plete freedom of movement in all the worlds. 

6 Now, these veins of the heart consist of the finest essence of orange, white, 
blue, yellow, and red. The sun up there, likewise, is orange, white, blue, yel- 
low, and red. 2 Just as a long highway traverses both the villages, the one near by 
and the one far away, so also these rays of the sun traverse both the worlds, the one 
down here and the one up above. Extending out from the sun up there, they slip into 
these veins here, and extending out from these veins here, they slip into the sun up 
there. 

3 So, when someone is sound asleep here, totally collected and serene, and sees 
no dreams, he has then slipped into these veins. No evil thing can touch him, for he 
is then linked with radiance. 

4 Now, when someone here has become extremely infirm, people sit around 
him and ask: “Do you recognize me?” “Do you recognize me?” As long as he has 
not departed from the body, he would recognize them. 5 But when he is departing 
from this body, he rises up along those same rays. He goes up with the sound “OM.” 
No sooner does he think of it than he reaches the sun. It is the door to the farther 
world, open to those who have the knowledge but closed to those who do not. 6 In 
this connection, there is this verse: 

One hundred and one, the veins of the heart. 

One of them runs up to the crown of the head. 

Going up by it, he reaches the immortal. 

The rest, in their ascent, spread out in all directions. 

7 “The self (atman) that is free from evils, free from old age and death, free from 
sorrow, free from hunger and thirst; the self whose desires and intentions are 
real — that is the self that you should try to discover, that is the self that you should 


279 



8 . 7.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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280 







Chandogya Upanisad 


8 . 8.4 


seek to perceive. When someone discovers that self and perceives it, he obtains all 
the worlds, and all his desires are fulfilled.” So said Prajapati. 

2 Both the gods and the demons became aware of this, and each side talked it 
over: “Come, let’s discover that self ( atman ) by discovering which one obtains all 
the worlds, and all one’s desires are fulfilled.” Then Indra set out from among the 
gods, and Virocana, from among the demons. And going there independently, the 
two arrived in the presence of Prajapati carrying firewood in their hands. 

3 They lived the life of celibate students for thirty-two years. Then Prajapati 
asked them: “Why have you lived here? What do you want?” 

They replied: “Sir, people report these words of yours: ‘The self (atman) that is 
free from evils, free from old age and death, free from sorrow, free from hunger and 
thirst; the self whose desires and intentions are real — that is the self that you should 
try to discover, that is the self that you should seek to perceive. When someone dis- 
covers that self and perceives it, he obtains all the worlds, and all his desires are 
fulfilled.’” 

“So, you have lived here seeking that self.” 4 Prajapati then told them: “This 
person that one sees here in the eye — that is the self (atman)-, that is the immortal; 
that is the one free from fear; that is brahman.” 

“But then, sir, who is the one that’s seen here in the water and here in a mir- 
ror?” 

“It is the same one who is seen in all these surfaces,” replied Prajapati. 


8 “Look at yourselves (atman) in a pan of water. And let me know if there is 
anything you do not perceive about yourselves.” So they looked into a pan of 
water. Prajapati asked them: “What do you see?” 

And they replied: “Sir, we see here our entire body (atman), a perfect likeness 
down to the very hairs of the body, down to the very nails.” 

2 Prajapati told them then: “Adorn yourself beautifully, dress well, and spruce 
yourself up, and then look into a pan of water.” So they adorned themselves beauti- 
fully, dressed well, and spruced themselves up, and then looked into a pan of water. 
Prajapati asked them: “What do you see?” 

3 And they replied: “Sir, as the two of us here are beautifully adorned, well 
dressed, and all spruced up, in exactly the same way are these, sir, beautifully 
adorned, well dressed, and all spruced up.” 

“That is the self (atman)-, that is the immortal; that is the one free from fear; 
that is brahman,” Prajapati told them. And the two of them left with contented 
hearts. 

4 Seeing the two depart, Prajapati observed: “There they go, without learning 
about the self (atman), without discovering the self! The side that will hold to this 
correspondence (upanisad), whether it is the gods or the demons, is bound to be 
vanquished.” 

Now, Virocana, his heart totally content, went back to the demons and an- 
nounced to them this correspondence (upanisad): “It is the body (atman) that one 
should extol in this world. It is the body that one should care for. When someone 
extols the body alone in this world, when he cares only for the body, he wins both 


281 



The Early Upanisads 




Chandogya Upanisad 


8.10.4 


this world and the next.” 5 Therefore, even today people here say of a man who 
gives no gifts, has no faith, and offers no sacrifices: “What a demonic fellow!” This 
is, indeed, the correspondence ( upanisad ) that demons hold to; they perform the 
funerary rites for the body of a dead person with offerings of food, garments, and 
ornaments, for they believe that in this way they will win the next world. 


9 Indra, on the other hand, even before he had reached the gods, saw this danger: 
“If this is the self — then, just as it becomes beautifully adorned when this body 
is beautifully adorned, well dressed when this body is well dressed, and spruced up 
when this body is spruced up, in exactly the same way it is bound to become 
blind when this body becomes blind, lame when this body becomes lame, and crip- 
pled when this body becomes crippled. Upon the death of the body, indeed, it, too, 
is bound to die. I see nothing worthwhile in this.” 

2 So he returned again carrying firewood in his hands. Prajapati said to him: 
“Maghavan, didn’t you leave together with Virocana with contented hearts? So, 
why have you come back? What do you want?” 

He replied: “If this is the self— then, sir, just as it becomes beautifully adorned 
when this body is beautifully adorned, well dressed when this body is well dressed, 
and spruced up when this body is spruced up, in exactly the same way it is bound to 
become blind when this body becomes blind, lame when this body becomes lame, 
and crippled when this body becomes crippled. Upon the death of the body, indeed, 
it, too, is bound to die. I see nothing worthwhile in this.” 

3 Prajapati told him: “It is exactly as you say, Maghavan. But I will explain it to 
you further. Stay here for another thirty-two years.” 

So he lived there for another thirty-two years, after which Prajapati spoke to 

him: 


"1 (I The one who goes happily about in a dream — that is the self; that is the 
X U immortal; that is the one free from fear; that is brahman .” 

Indra then left, his heart content. But even before he had reached the gods, he 
saw this danger: “It is true that this self does not become blind when this body be- 
comes blind, or lame when the body becomes lame. This self is clearly unaffected 
by the faults of the body — 2 it is not killed when this body is slain or rendered lame 
when this body becomes lame. Nevertheless, people do in a way kill it and chase 
after it; it does in a way experience unpleasant things; and in a way it even cries. I 
see nothing worthwhile in this.” 

3 So he returned again carrying firewood in his hands. Prajapati said to him: 
“Maghavan, didn’t you leave with a contented heart? So, why have you come back? 
What do you want?” 

He replied: “It is true, sir, that this self does not become blind when this body 
becomes blind, or lame when the body becomes lame. This self is clearly unaffected 
by the faults of this body — 4 it is not killed when this body is slain or rendered lame 
when this body becomes lame. Nevertheless, people do in a way kill it and chase 
after it; it does in a way experience unpleasant things; and in a way it even cries. I 
see nothing worthwhile in this.” 


283 



8 . 10.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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284 



Chanclogya Upanisad 


8.12.5 


Prajapati told him: “It is exactly as you say, Maghavan. But I will explain it to 
you further. Stay here for another thirty-two years.” 

So he lived there for another thirty-two years, after which Prajapati spoke to 

him: 

n “When one is fast asleep, totally collected and serene, and sees no 
dreams — that is the self; that is the immortal; that is the one free from fear; 
that is brahman .” 

Indra then left, his heart content. But even before he had reached the gods, he 
saw this danger: “But this self as just explained, you see, does not perceive itself 
fully as, ‘I am this’ ; it does not even know any of these beings here. It has become 
completely annihilated. I see nothing worthwhile in this.” 

2 So he returned again carrying firewood in his hands. Prajapati said to him: 
“Maghavan, didn’t you leave with a contented heart? So, why have you come back? 
What do you want?” 

He replied: “But, sir, this self as just explained, you see, does not perceive itself 
fully as ‘I am this,’ nor even does it know any of these beings here. It has become 
completely annihilated. I see nothing worthwhile in this.” 

3 Prajapati told him: “It is exactly as you say, Maghavan. But I will explain it to 
you further, but only under the following condition — stay here for another five 
years.” 

So he lived there for another five years. Altogether, that makes one hundred 
and one years. That is why people say: “For one hundred and one years did 
Maghavan live as a celibate student with Prajapati.” 

Prajapati then spoke to him: 

*1 O “This body, Maghavan, is mortal; it is in the grip of death. So, it is the 
JL /Lm abode of this immortal and nonbodily self. One who has a body is in the 
grip of joy and sorrow, and there is no freedom from joy and sorrow for one who 
has a body. Joy and sorrow, however, do not affect one who has no body. 

2 “The wind is without a body, and so are the rain-cloud, lightning, and thunder. 
These are without bodies. Now, as these, after they rise up from the space up above 
and reach the highest light, emerge in their own true appearance, 3 in the very same 
way, this deeply serene one, after he rises up from this body and reaches the highest 
light, emerges in his own true appearance. He is the highest person. He roams about 
there, laughing, playing, and enjoying himself with women, carriages, or relatives, 
without remembering the appendage that is this body. The lifebreath is yoked to this 
body, as a draft animal to a cart. 

4 “Now, when this sight here gazes into space, that is the seeing person, the fac- 
ulty of sight enables one to see. The one who is aware: ‘Let me smell this’ — that is 
the self; the faculty of smell enables him to smell. The one who is aware: ‘Let me 
say this’ — that is the self; the faculty of speech enables him to speak. The one who 
is aware: ‘Let me listen to this’ — that is the self; the faculty of hearing enables him 
to hear. 5 The one who is aware: ‘Let me think about this’ — that is the self; the mind 


285 



8 . 12.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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286 



Chcmdogya Upanisad 


8.15.1 


is his divine faculty of sight. This very self rejoices as it perceives with his mind, 
with that divine sight, these objects of desire found in the world of brahman. 

6 “It is this self that the gods venerate, as a result of which they have obtained 
all the worlds and have had all their desires fulfilled. Likewise, when someone dis- 
covers this self and comes to perceive it, he will obtain all the worlds and have all 
his desires fulfilled.” 

That was what Prajapati said. 


"I O From the dark I go into the multicolored, and from the multicolored into the 
JL dark. Shaking off evil, like a horse its hair, and freeing myself, like the 
moon from Rahu’s jaws, I, the perfected self ( atman ), cast off the body, the imper- 
fect, and attain the world of brahman. 


M Now, what is called space is that which brings forth name and visible ap- 
pearance. That within which they are located — that is brahman; that is the 
immortal; that is the self (atman). 

I go into Prajapati’s assembly hall and dwelling! I am the glory of the Brah- 
mins, the glory of the Ksatriyas, the glory of the Vaisyas! I have attained glory! I 
am the glory of glories! Let me not go to the gray and toothless state, to the tooth- 
less, gray, and slobbery state! 


"1 All this Brahma told to Prajapati; Prajapati to Manu; and Manu to his 
1 children. 

From the teacher’s house— where he learned the Veda in the prescribed manner 
during his free time after his daily tasks for the teacher — he returns, and then, in his 
own house, he does his daily vedic recitation in a clean place, rears virtuous chil- 
dren, draws in all his sense organs into himself, and refrains from killing any 
creature except for a worthy person — someone who lives this way all his life attains 
the world of brahman, and he does not return again. 


The end of the Chandogya Upanisad. 


287 



THREE 


Taittiriya Upanisad 


The Taittiriya Upanisad constitutes chapters 7, 8, and 9 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, 
which is itself a supplement added to the Taittiriya Brahmana of the Black Yajur- 
veda. Varenne (1968) has noted the composite character of the TU. The first chapter 
of the TU stands apart from the other two and is sometimes recognized as a separate 
Upanisad. Sayaria in his commentary on the TA calls it samhitopanisad, while some 
editions of TU call it siksopanisad. Indian editions of TU call this chapter siksa- 
dhyayah prathamd valli. Beginning with Deussen (1897), most translators have 
called it siksavalll, making the title parallel with those of the other two chapters and 
thus obscuring the traditional view that the first chapter is either a separate Upanisad 
or at least a section standing apart from the other two. Probably combining the two 
titles, LV calls this chapter siksavallyadhyayah. The second chapter is called anan- 
davalli or brahmavalli (sometimes combined to brahmdmndavalli), and the third 
chapter is entitled bhrguvalll. Taken together the two last chapters form a distinct 
text, and Sayana calls it vdrunyupanisad. That he considered it a separate text is also 
borne out by the fact that he places a couple of mangala verses at the beginning of 
the second chapter. In the Taittiriya Aranyaka, these three chapters are followed by 
the final tenth chapter that comprises the Mahanarayana Upanisad, not included in 
this collection. Witzel (1977, 1979, 1980) has edited and translated the little-known 
text Katha-Siksa-Upanisad (KaSU) and compared it to the siksavalll of the TU, to 
which it is closely related. 1 have given the variant readings of the KaSU in the 
notes. 


CONTENTS 


1 


1 

2 


Invocation 

Phonetics 


288 



Taittiriya Upanisad 


3 Correspondences of phonetic combinations 

4 Teacher’s prayer 

5-6 The correspondences of the Calls 

7 Fivefold divisions and correspondences of cosmos and body 

8 The universe as OM 

9-10 Importance of vedic recitation 

1 1 Instructions to a departing student 

12 Student’s prayer 


2 


1- 2 The self consisting of food 

2- 3 The self consisting of lifebreath 

3- 4 The self consisting of mind 

4- 5 The self consisting of understanding 

5 The self consisting of bliss 

6 Brahman as the real; brahman creates the universe 

7 The real arising from the unreal 

8-9 Description of the bliss of brahman ; the way a dead person 
attains brahman 


3 


1 Varuna’s instruction to Bhrgu on brahman 

2 Brahman as food 

3 Brahman as lifebreath 

4 Brahman as mind 

5 Brahman as perception 

6 Brahman as bliss 

7-9 Instruction regarding food and its correspondences 

10 

1 On giving food to others 

2-4 Veneration of food and its correspondences 

5 The passage after death 

6 Eulogy of food 


289 



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290 



1 SIKSAVALLI 


1 


OM 

May Mitra be kind to us! 

May Varuna, may Aryaman! 

May Indra Brhaspati ! 

And Visnu of long strides! 

Homage to brahmanl 
Homage to you, Wind! 

You alone are the visible brahman ! 

I will proclaim you, 

And you alone as the visible brahmanl 
I will proclaim you as the right! 

I will proclaim you as the true! 
May it help me. 

May it help the teacher. 

Yes, may it help me. 

And may it help the teacher. 

OM 

Peace! Peace! Peace! 


2 

3 


OM! We will now explain phonetics — phoneme, accent, quantity, strength, ar- 
ticulation, and connection. That describes the field of phonetics. 


May both of us attain fame! 

May both of us obtain the luster of sacred knowledge! 


Next, we will explain the hidden connection ( upanisad ) of combination with 
reference to five topics — the worlds, the lights, knowledge, progeny, and the body 
( atman ). They call these the “large-scale combinations.” 

With reference to the worlds — the preceding word is the earth, the following 
word is the sky, their union is space, 2 and their link is the wind. So it is with refer- 
ence to the worlds. 

With reference to the lights — the preceding word is the fire, the following word 
is the sun, their union is the waters, and their link is lightning. So it is with reference 
to the lights. 


291 



1.3.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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292 



Taittirvya Upanisad 


1 . 4.3 


With reference to knowledge — the preceding word is the teacher, 3 the follow- 
ing word is the pupil, their union is knowledge, and their link is instruction. So it is 
with reference to knowledge. 

With reference to progeny — the preceding word is the mother, the following 
word is the father, their union is the child, and their link is procreation. So it is with 
reference to progeny. 

4 With reference to the body ( atman ) — the preceding word is the lower jaw, the 
following word is the upper jaw, their union is speech, and their link is the tongue. 
So it is with reference to the body. 

These are the large-scale combinations. When someone knows these large-scale 
combinations ( samdha ) as explained here — he will possess ( sam-dha -) offspring, 
livestock, the luster of sacred knowledge, a food supply, and the heavenly world. 



The dazzling bull among vedic hymns, 

Sprung from the immortal, 

Sprung from vedic hymns — 

That is Indra! 

May he deliver me with wisdom! 

In my memory, O God, may the immortal be fixed! 
My body, may it be untrammeled! 

My tongue, may it say the sweetest things! 

My ears, may they hear the wealth of sacred lore! 

You are brahman's chest, 

Covered with wisdom. 

Guard what I have heard. 

She brings, she extends , 2 quickly she produces, 
For herself and always for me — 
clothes and cows, 
food and drink. 

So, bring Prosperity, bring her to me, 
rich in sheep and cows. 

Svaha! 


Students, may they come to me! Svaha! 

Students, may they flock to me! Svaha! 

Students, may they rush to me! Svaha! 

Students, may they be controlled! Svaha! 

Students, may they be tranquil! Svaha! 

3 May I be famous among men! Svaha! 

More affluent than the very rich! Svaha! 

May I, O Bhaga, enter you! Svaha! 

May you, O Bhaga, enter me! Svaha! 

In you, O Bhaga, branched a thousandfold, 

In you I shall be cleansed! Svaha! 


293 



1.4.3 


The Early Upanisads 


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294 



Taittirlya Upanisad 


1 . 7.1 


As waters flow down the slope; 

And the months with the passing of the days; 

So, O Creator, from everywhere, 

May students come to me! Svaha! 

You are a neighbor! 

Shine on me! 

Come to me! 


5 Bhur, bhuvas, and suvar: these are the three Calls. Mahacamasya, however, has 
taught a fourth such utterance, namely, mahas. This last is brahman — it is the 
body ( dtrnan ), while the other deities are the limbs. 

This world down here is bhur, the intermediate region is bhuvas, that world up 
there is suvar, 2 and the sun is mahas, for all the worlds are made joyous ( mah -) by 
the sun. The fire is bhur, the wind is bhuvas, the sun is suvar, and the moon is ma- 
has, for all the lights are made joyous by the moon. The Rg verses are bhur , the 
Saman chants are bhuvas, the Yajus formulas are suvar, 3 and brahman (=OM) is 
mahas, for all the Vedas are made joyous by brahman. The out-breath is bhur, the 
in-breath is bhuvas, the inter-breath is suvar, and food is mahas, for all the breaths 
are made joyous by food. 

So these four are divided in four ways, making four sets of four Calls. Anyone 
who knows them knows brahman, and all the gods offer tribute to him. 

6 In this space here within the heart lies the immortal and golden person con- 
sisting of the mind. And this thing that hangs like a nipple between the two 
palates, it is Indra’s passage. Bursting through the two halves of the skull at the 
point where the hairs part, he establishes himself in the fire by making the call bhiir, 
in the wind by making the call bhuvas, 2 in the sun by making the call suvar, and in 
brahman by making the call mahas. He obtains sovereignty and becomes the lord of 
the mind, the lord of speech, the lord of sight, the lord of hearing, and the lord of 
perception. And thereafter, this is what he becomes — the brahman whose body is 
space, whose self is truth, whose pleasure ground is the lifebreath, and whose joy is 
the mind; the brahman who is completely tranquil and immortal. Praclnayogya, 
venerate it in this manner. 


Earth 

Intermediate 

Sky 

Quarters 

Intermediate 

Region 



Quarters 

Fire 

Wind 

Sun 

Moon 

Stars 

Waters 

Plants 

Trees 

Space 

Body ( atman ) 

That was with respect 

to beings. Now 

with respect 

to the body: 


Out-breath 

Inter-breath 

In-breath 

Up-breath 

Link-breath 

Sight 

Hearing 

Mind 

Speech 

Touch 

Skin 

Flesh 

Sinew 

Bone 

Marrow 


295 



1 . 7.1 


The Early JJpanisacls 


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3frf^TFrecrf: qfrnrrt qf^FTFifcf I aftftlcr s^rr sraftfcr I affftr- 









Taittirlya Upanisad 


1 . 11.2 


After making this analysis, a seer proclaimed: “Clearly, this whole world is fivefold. 
By means of the fivefold one surely secures the fivefold.” 

8 Brahman is OM. This whole world is OM. When one says OM, it indicates 
compliance. Thus, when they are instructed, “O! Make him listen!” they do 
make him listen. They say OM before singing the Saman chants; they say OM SOM 
before they recite the hymns of praise; the Adhvaryu priest says OM before giving 
his response; the Brahman priest says OM before singing the introductory praise. 
One says OM in giving one’s permission to conduct the fire sacrifice. When a 
Brahmin is about to recite the Veda publicly, he first says “OM,” and then, “May I 
grasp the Veda (brahman)." And he does, indeed, grasp the Veda. 


9 The right, yes; but also the private and public recitation of the Veda. The truth, 
yes; but also the private and public recitation of the Veda. Austerity, yes; but 
also the private and public recitation of the Veda. Self-control, yes; but also the 
private and public recitation of the Veda. Tranquillity, yes; but also the private and 
public recitation of the Veda. The fires, yes; but also the private and public 
recitation of the Veda. The fire sacrifice, yes; but also the private and public 
recitation of the Veda. Guests, yes; but also the private and public recitation of the 
Veda. Humaneness, yes; but also the private and public recitation of the Veda. 
Children, yes; but also the private and public recitation of the Veda. Procreation, 
yes; but also the private and public recitation of the Veda. Progeny, yes; but also 
the private and public recitation of the Veda. 

“Just the truth” — that was the view of Rathltara, the Truthful. 

“Just austerity” — that was the view of Paurusisti, the Ever-Austere. 

“Nothing but the private and public recitation of the Veda” — that was the view 
of Maudgalya the Painless; for that is austerity, that indeed is austerity. 


I am the shaker of the tree! 

My fame is like a mountain peak! 
immaculate up on high, 
immortal wealth of victory, 

I am a treasure shining bright! 
Undecaying, immortal, and wise! 

This was the vedic recitation of Trisanku. 



n After the completion of vedic study, the teacher admonishes his resident 
pupil: “Speak the truth. Follow the Law. Do not neglect your private recita- 
tion of the Veda. After you have given a valuable gift to the teacher, do not cut off 
your family line. 

“Do not neglect the truth. Do not neglect the Law. Do not neglect your health. 
Do not neglect your wealth. Do not neglect your private and public recitation of the 
Veda. 2 Do not neglect the rites to gods and ancestors. 


297 



1 . 11.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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298 


Taittiriya Upanisad 


2 . 1.1 


•‘Treat your mother like a god. Treat your father like a god. Treat your teacher 
like a god. Treat your guests like gods. 

“You should perform only those rites that are irreproachable, and never other 
types of rites. You should hold in high esteem only those good practices you have 
observed in me, 3 and never other types of practices. You should greet with honor 
any Brahmin who is superior to us by offering him a seat. 

“You should give with faith, and never without faith. You should give with 
dignity. You should give with modesty. You should give with trepidation. You 
should give with comprehension. 

“Now, if you ever have a doubt regarding a rite or a practice — 4 should there be 
experienced, qualified, and gentle Brahmins devoted to the Law who are able to 
make a judgment in that matter, you should observe how they act in that regard and 
behave likewise. Similarly, with regard to practices subject to criticism — should 
there be experienced, qualified, and gentle Brahmins devoted to the Law who are 
able to make a judgment in that matter, you should observe how they act in these 
matters and behave likewise. 

“This is the rule of substitution. This is the teaching. This is the hidden teaching 
{upanisad) of the Veda. This is the admonition. You should venerate in this way. 
You should, indeed, venerate this in this way. 



May Mitra be kind to us! 

May Varuna, may Aryaman! 

May Indra Brhaspati ! 

May Visnu of long strides! 

Homage to brahman ! Homage to you, Wind! 
You alone are the visible brahman\ 

I have proclaimed you, 

And you alone as the visible brahman\ 

I have proclaimed you as the right! 

I have proclaimed you as the true! 

It has helped me. 

It has helped the teacher. 

Yes, it has helped me. 

And it has helped the teacher. 

OM 

Peace! Peace! Peace! 


2 BRAHMAVALLI 


1 


OM 

May it help us both together! 
May it foster us both together! 


299 



2 . 1.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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m ft wnt cTwrpaqkwai^ I 

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c\ 

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iTCf I ?tpt ^rrI^wtr^t gwf^rer: I ctrt yw prt f%r: I 

syRTf q^T: I SPIRT ^RdT: W: I STIcPTRr STfcRT I ^Rl41 

yfrPST I cPR^PT R^fcT II 

1 1 ffcT ftcMrjm^: 1 1 


ypt trr 3Hyi u iPd ‘ rtrtt: ttppt ^ | 

* o o 


300 



Taittiriya Upanisad 


2.3.1 


Together let us both act boldly! 

May our learning be full of vigor! 

May we never dislike each other! 

OM 

Peace! Peace! Peace! 

A man who knows brahman obtains the highest there is. On this we have the 
following verse: 

Truth and knowledge. 

The infinite and brahman — 

A man who knows them as 
hidden in the deepest cavity, 
hidden in the highest heaven; 

Attains all his desires, 

together with the wise brahman. 

From this very self ( atman ) did space come into being; from space, air; from 
air, fire; from fire, the waters; from the waters, the earth; from the earth, plants; 
from plants, food; and from food, man. Now, a man here is formed from the essence 
of food. This here is his head; this is his right side; this is his left side; this is his 
torso (atman)-, and this is his bottom on which he rests. On this, too, we have the 
following verse: 



From food, surely, are they bom; 

all creatures that live on earth. 

On food alone, once born, they live; 

and into food in the end they pass. 

For food is the foremost of beings, 
so it’s called “all herbs.” 

All the food they’ll secure for themselves, 
when they worship brahman as food; 
For food is the foremost of beings, 
so it’s called “all herbs.” 

From food beings come into being; 

By food, once bom, they grow. 

“It is eaten and it eats beings.” 

Therefore it is called “food.” 


Different from and lying within this man formed from the essence of food is the 
self (atman) consisting of lifebreath, which suffuses that man completely. Now, he 
has the appearance of a man; so, corresponding to his manlike appearance, the self 
consisting of lifebreath assumes a manlike appearance. Of this self, the head is sim- 
ply the out-breath; the right side is the inter-breath; the left side is the in-breath; the 
torso (atman) is space; and the bottom on which it rests is the earth. On this, too, we 
have the following verse: 



Lifebreath — gods breathe along with it 
as do men and beasts. 


301 



2.3.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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cT^r q^r qrrtk sitft r I *n r£rt 1 1 

cTFTTST qd'WlR^H'H'Mld I sfRSmtR SflTRRRW: I cf^R I ^ R 
TTtr q^nqf^g- TJc[ \ cTRT qRqf^TEj d I RRR HRl^ST: | RW I 


302 



Taittiriya Upanisad 


2 . 5.1 


For lifebreath is the life of beings, 
so it’s called “all life.” 

A full life they’ll surely live, when they 
worship brahman as lifebreath. 

For lifebreath is the life of beings, 
so it’s called “all life.” 

Of that, this here is the embodied self ( atman)-, this belongs to the former. 

Different from and lying within this self consisting of breath is the self (atman) 
consisting of mind, which suffuses this other self completely. Now, he has the ap- 
pearance of a man; so, corresponding to his manlike appearance, the self consisting 
of mind assumes a manlike appearance. Of this self, the head is simply the Yajus 
formulas; the right side is the Rg verses; the left side is the Saman chants; the torso 
(atman) is rules of substitution; and the bottom on which it rests is the Atharva- 
Angirases. On this, too, we have the following verse: 



Before they reach it, words turn back, 
together with the mind; 

One who knows that bliss of brahman, 
he is never afraid. 


Of that, this here is the embodied self (atman)-, this belongs to the former. 

Different from and lying within this self consisting of mind is the self (atman) 
consisting of perception, which suffuses this other self completely. Now, he has the 
appearance of a man; so, corresponding to his manlike appearance, the self consist- 
ing of perception assumes a manlike appearance. Of this self, the head is simply 
faith; the right side is the truth; the left side is the real; the torso (atman) is the per- 
formance; and the bottom on which it rests is the celebration. On this, too, we have 
the following verse: 


It’s perception that conducts the sacrifice. 

It’s perception that performs the rites. 

It’s perception that all the gods 
Venerate as the foremost brahman. 

“ Brahman is perception” — 
he who knows this, 
and neglects this not, 

Leaving the evils behind in his body 
He attains all his wishes. 

Of that, this here is the embodied self (atman)-, this belongs to the former. 

Different from and lying within this self consisting of perception is the self 
(atman) consisting of bliss, which suffuses this other self completely. Now, he has 
the appearance of a man; so, corresponding to his manlike appearance, the self con- 
sisting of bliss assumes a manlike appearance. Of this self, the head is simply the 
pleasure; the right side is the delight; the left side is the thrill; the torso (atman) is 



303 



2 . 5.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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sifeiSA: I eTRlR RRt pRTRT Wf RRR I R RTRR RTRR: I 


304 


Taittirlya Upanisad 


2.8.1 


the bliss; and the bottom on which it rests is the brahman. On this, too, we have the 
following verse: 

If a man thinks “ Brahman is the nonexistent,” 
he becomes himself nonexistent! 

If a man thinks “ Brahman is the existent,” 
people then know him to be existent. 

Of that, this here is the embodied self ( atman ); this belongs to the former. 



Now, the following questions arise from the foregoing: 

Does any man who knows this not 
attain that world when he dies? 

Or does any man who knows this 
attain that world when he dies? 

He had this desire: “Let me multiply myself. Let me produce offspring.” So he 
heated himself up. When he had heated himself up, he emitted this whole world, 
everything that is here. After emitting it, he entered that very world. And after en- 
tering it, he became in turn Sat and Tyat, the distinct and the indistinct, the resting 
and the never resting, the perceived and the nonperceived, the real ( satya ) and the 
unreal ( anrta ). He became the real, everything that is here; that is why people call 
all this Sat. On this, too, we have the following verse: 



In the beginning this world was the nonexistent, 
and from it arose the existent. 

By itself it made a body {atman) for itself; 
therefore it is called “well-made.” 


And precisely because it is well-made, it is the essence, for only when one has 
grasped that essence does one attain bliss. Now, who would breathe in, who would 
breathe out, if that essence were not there in space as bliss, for it is that essence that 
causes bliss. For when a man finds within that invisible, incorporeal ( anatmya ), 
indistinct, and supportless essence, the fearless state on which to rest, then he be- 
comes free from fear. When, on the other hand, a man creates a hollow or a fissure 
within it, then he experiences fear. Now, this is the fear experienced by a man who 
thinks that he knows. On this, too, we have the following verse: 


The fear of it makes the wind blow. 

The fear of it makes the sun rise. 

The fear of it makes them run — 
fire and moon, 
and death, the fifth. 

Next follows an analysis of bliss. 

Take a young man — a good young man who is learned, very quick, solidly 
built, and extremely strong. And assume that he owns this whole earth filled with 
wealth. That would constitutes a single measure of human bliss. 



305 



2 . 8.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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II ^fcT H 


306 



Taittirlya Upanisacl 


2.9.1 


A single measure of bliss that human Gandharvas enjoy — and also a man 
versed in the Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than human 
bliss. 

A single measure of bliss that divine Gandharvas enjoy — and also a man versed 
in the Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the bliss of hu- 
man Gandharvas. 

A single measure of bliss that the forefathers who live in their world for a long 
time enjoy — and also a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires— is a hun- 
dred times greater than the bliss of divine Gandharvas. 

A single measure of bliss that those who are gods by birth enjoy — and also a 
man versed in the Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the 
bliss of the forefathers who live in their world for a long time. 

A single measure of bliss that those who have become gods by performing rites 
enjoy — and also a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred 
times greater than the bliss of those who are gods by birth. 

A single measure of bliss that the gods enjoy— and also a man versed in the 
Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the bliss of those who 
have become gods by performing rites. 

A single measure of bliss that Indra enjoys — and also a man versed in the Ve- 
das and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the bliss of the gods. 

A single measure of bliss that Brhaspati enjoys — and also a man versed in the 
Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the bliss of Indra. 

A single measure of bliss that Prajapati enjoys — and also a man versed in the 
Vedas and free from desires — is a hundred times greater than the bliss of Brhaspati. 

A single measure of bliss that brahman enjoys — and also a man versed in the 
Vedas and free from desires— is a hundred times greater than the bliss of Prajapati. 

He who is here in a man and he who is there in the sun — they are one and the 
same. After a man who knows this departs from this world — he first reaches the self 
( atman ) that consists of food, then the self that consists of lifebreath, then the 
self that consists of mind, then the self that consists of perception, and finally 
the self that consists of bliss. On this, too, we have the following verse: 


Before they reach it, words turn back, 
together with the mind; 

One who knows that bliss of brahman , 
he is never afraid. 

He does not agonize, thinking: “Why didn’t I do the right thing? Why did I do the 
wrong thing?” A man who knows this frees himself {atman) from these two 
thoughts. From these two thoughts, indeed, a man who knows this frees himself. 
That is the hidden teaching {upanisad). 



307 



3 . 1.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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308 



Taittiriya Upanisad 


3.5.1 


3 BHRGUVALLl 


I OM 

May it help us both together! 

May it foster us both together! 

Together let us both act boldly ! 

May our learning be full of vigor! 

May we never dislike each other! 

OM 

Peace! Peace! Peace! 

Bhrgu, the son of Varuna, once went up to his father, Varuna, and said: “Sir, 
teach me brahman.” And Varuna told him this: “Food, lifebreath, sight, hearing, 
mind, speech.” He further said: “That from which these beings are born; on which, 
once born, they live; and into which they pass upon death — seek to perceive that! 
That is brahman] ” 

So Bhrgu practiced austerities. After he had practiced austerities, [2] he per- 
ceived: “ Brahman is food — for, clearly, it is from food that these beings are born; 
on food, once born, do they live; and into food do they pass upon death.” 

After he had perceived this, he went up to his father, Varuna, once again and 
said: “Sir, teach me brahman.” V amna told him: “Seek to perceive brahman by 
means of austerity. Brahman is austerity.” 

So Bhrgu practiced austerities. After he had practiced austerities, [3] he per- 
ceived: “ Brahman is the lifebreath — for, clearly, it is from the lifebreath that these 
beings are born; through the lifebreath, once born, do they live; and into the life- 
breath do they pass upon death.” 

After he had perceived this, he went up to his father, Varuna, once again and 
said: “Sir, teach me brahman.” V aruna told him: “Seek to perceive brahman by 
means of austerity. Brahman is austerity.” 

So Bhrgu practiced austerities. After he had practiced austerities, [4] he per- 
ceived: “ Brahman is the mind — for, clearly, it is from the mind that these beings are 
born; through the mind, once born, do they live; and into the mind do they pass 
upon death.” 

After he had perceived this, he went up to his father, Varuna, once again and 
said: “Sir, teach me brahman.” V aruna told him: “Seek to perceive brahman by 
means of austerity. Brahman is austerity.” 

So Bhrgu practiced austerities. After he had practiced austerities, [5] he per- 
ceived: “ Brahman is perception — for, clearly, it is from perception that these beings 
are born; through perception, once born, do they live; and into perception do they 
pass upon death.” 

After he had perceived this, he went up to his father, Varuna, once again and 
said: “Sir, teach me brahman.” V aruna told him: “Seek to perceive brahman by 
means of austerity. Brahman is austerity.” 


309 



3 . 5.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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310 



Taittirlya Upanisacl 


3 . 10.3 


So Bhrgu practiced austerities. After he had practiced austerities, [6] he per- 
ceived: “Brahman is bliss — for, clearly, it is from bliss that these beings are born; 
through bliss, once bom, do they live; and into bliss do they pass upon death.” 

This is the doctrine of Bhrgu, the son of Varuna. It is firmly established in the 
highest firmament. When someone comes to know this — he will become firmly 
established; he will become a man who has food, who eats food; he will become a 
big man on account of his offspring, livestock, and the luster of sacred knowledge; 
he will become a big man on account of his fame. 

7 One should not belittle food — that is the rule. The lifebreath is food, and the 
body is the food-eater. The body is based on the lifebreath, and the lifebreath, 
on the body. Thus, this food is based on food. When someone knows this food that 
is based on food — he will become firmly established; he will become a man who 
has food, who eats food; he will become a big man on account of his offspring, live- 
stock, and the luster of sacred knowledge; he will become a big man on account of 
his fame. 

8 One should not reject food — that is the rule. Water is food, and fire is the food- 
eater. Fire is based on water, and water, on fire. Thus, this food is based on 
food. When someone knows this food that is based on food — he will become firmly 
established; he will become a man who has food, who eats food; he will become a 
big man on account of his offspring, livestock, and the luster of sacred knowledge; 
he will become a big man on account of his fame. 

9 One should prepare a lot of food — that is the rule. The earth is food, and space 
is the food-eater. Space is based on the earth, and the earth, on space. Thus, this 
food is based on food. When someone knows this food that is based on food — he 
will become firmly established; he will become a man who has food, who eats food; 
he will become a big man on account of his offspring, livestock, and the luster of 
sacred knowledge; he will become a big man on account of his fame. 

"1 O ® ne s h° u ^ never turn anyone away from one’s home — that is the rule. 
X U Therefore, he should procure a lot of food by every means at his disposal. 
And people will say of him: “Food is readily available to him.” When he makes the 
food ready during the first portion, food becomes readily available to him during the 
first portion. When he makes the food ready during the middle portion, food be- 
comes readily available to him during the middle portion. When he makes the food 
ready during the final portion, food becomes readily available to him during the 
final portion. 2 And so it is for anyone who knows this. 

In speech, as rest; in the out-breath and the in-breath, as activity and rest; in the 
hands, as action; in the feet, as movement; in the anus, as evacuation — these are its 
human appellations. Now, its divine appellations — in the rain, 3 as contentment; in 


311 



I 


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spMPWW I 

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Ml 


ll ^r n 





Taittiriya Upanisad 


3.10.6 


lightning, as power; in livestock, as fame; in the stars, as light; in the sexual organ, 
as procreation, immortality, and bliss; in space, as totality. 

Let him venerate it as the foundation, and he will have a foundation. Let him 
venerate it as might, and he will become mighty. Let him venerate it as mind, and 
he will have a quick mind. I * * 4 Let him venerate it as bowing in homage, and his de- 
sires will bow to his will. Let him venerate it as brahman, and he will possess brah- 
man. Let him venerate it as “dying around of brahman,” and his rivals filled with 
hate will die around him, and so will his detestable foes. 

He who is here in a man and he who is up there in the sun — they are one 
and the same. 5 After a man who knows this departs from this world — he first 
reaches the self ( atman ) that consists of food, then the self that consists of life- 
breath, then the self that consists of mind, then the self that consists of perception, 
and finally the self that consists of bliss; and, eating whatever he likes and assuming 
whatever appearance he likes, he continues to travel across these worlds and to sing 
this Saman chant: 


Ha u] Ha u! Ha u! 

6 1 am food! I am food! I am food! 

I eat food! I eat food! I eat food! 

I set the rhythm! I set the rhythm! I set the rhythm! 

I am the firstborn of truth, 
born before the gods, 
in the navel of the immortal. 

The one who gives me 
will indeed eat me. 

I am food! 

I eat him who eats the food! 

I have conquered the whole universe! 

I am like the light in the firmament! 

[And so will] anyone who knows this. That is the hidden teaching {upanisad). 
The end of the Taittiriya Upanisad. 


313 



FOUR 


Aitareya Upanisad 


The Aitareya Upanisad consists of chapters 4-6 of the second book of the Aitareya 
Aranyaka, which has altogether five books. The Aranyaka itself is part of the Ai- 
tareya Brahmana belonging to the Aitareya school of the Rgveda. The distinction 
between the Upanisad proper and the rest of the Aranyaka is somewhat artificial, 
there being little difference in the topics covered. Indeed, the third book explicitly 
calls itself Samhita Upanisad, and the second book contains speculations on the 
Rgvedic recitation, Uktha, a subject treated in several Upanisads. The native tradi- 
tion itself considers the Aranyaka to contain three Upanisads: the first consists of 
chapters 1-3 of book 2; the second is our Upanisad; and the third consists of book 3. 
On the issue of the Upanisads contained in the AA, see Keith (1909, 39-52). 

As Schneider (1963-64) has shown, the three chapters of AU deal with dispa- 
rate subjects: the first presents a cosmogony with the self ( atman ) as the creator; the 
second deals with the three births of the self; and the third inquires into its true na- 
ture. From a text-historical point of view, according to Schneider, the first chapter 
constitutes the kernel of the Upanisad. 


CONTENTS 


l 


Creation of the world by the self 

1 Creation of bodily parts 

2 Bodily parts afflicted with hunger and thirst 

3.1-10 Creation of food 

3.11-12 Self enters the body 

3.13 Brahman as Indra 


314 



Aitareya Upanisad 


2 

The three births of the self 
3 

Inquiry concerning the true self 


315 



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f^r°ft Rif^rft^r: dtd gw wit drf^TdtdftiwTwwr cWn^T gw 


316 



ADHYAYA 1 


I ln the beginning this world was the self ( atman ), one alone, and there was no 
other being at all that blinked an eye. He thought to himself: “Let me create the 
worlds.” 

2 So he created these worlds — the flood, the glittering specks, the mortal, and 
the waters. Now, the flood is up there beyond the sky, and its foundation is the sky. 
The glittering specks are the intermediate world. The mortal is the earth, and what is 
underneath are the waters. 

3 He further thought to himself: “Now that these worlds are in place, I had bet- 
ter create their keepers.” From those very waters he drew out and gave a definite 
shape to a man. 4 He incubated that man. From that man so incubated — 

— a mouth was hatched like an egg; from the mouth sprang speech, and from 
speech, fire. 

— a pair of nostrils was hatched; from the nostrils sprang out-breath, and from 
out-breath, the wind. 

— a pair of eyes was hatched; from the eyes sprang sight, and from sight, the 

sun. 

— a pair of ears was hatched; from the ears sprang hearing, and from hearing, 
the quarters. 

— a skin was hatched; from the skin sprang the body hairs, and from the body 
hairs, plants and trees. 

— a heart was hatched; from the heart sprang the mind, and from the mind, the 
moon. 

— a navel was hatched; from the navel sprang the in-breath, and from the in- 
breath, death. 

— a penis was hatched; from the penis sprang semen, and from semen, the wa- 
ters. 

2 Once these deities were created, they fell into this vast ocean here. It afflicted 
him with hunger and thirst. Those deities then said to him: “Find us a dwelling 
in which we can establish ourselves and eat food.” 2 So he brought a cow up to 
them, but they said: “That’s totally inadequate for us.” Then he brought a horse up 
to them, but they said: “That’s totally inadequate for us.” 3 Finally he brought a man 
up to them, and they exclaimed: “Now, this is well made!” for man is indeed well 
made. 

Then he told them: “Enter, each into your respective dwelling.” 4 So, the fire 
became speech and entered the mouth; the wind became out-breath and entered the 


317 



1 . 2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


wr =rrf^r 

tcfr 11*11 

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1 1 ^fcT f|?fUr: WE: 1 1 







Aitareya Upanisad 


1.3.12 


nostrils; the sun became sight and entered the eyes; the quarters became hearing and 
entered the ears; the plants and trees became body hairs and entered the skin; the 
moon became mind and entered the heart; death became the in-breath and entered 
the navel; the waters became semen and entered the penis. 

5 Thereupon, hunger and thirst told him: “Find one for us also.” He told them: 
“I give you a share in what belongs to these very deities, and I make you sharers 
with them.” As a consequence, to whatever deity one may make an offering, hunger 
and thirst share it with that deity. 

3 He then thought to himself: “Now that these worlds and their keepers are in 
place, I had better create food for them.” 2 So he incubated the waters. When 
the waters were incubated, there emerged from them something solid. And the solid 
thing that emerged was food. 

3 No sooner was it created than it sought to escape. He tried to capture it with 
speech. But he was unable to capture it with speech, for had he captured it with 
speech, one would satisfy one’s appetite by simply mentioning food. 

4 He tried to capture it with the out-breath. But he was unable to capture it with 
the out-breath, for had he captured it with the out-breath, one would satisfy one’s 
appetite by simply breathing upon food. 

5 He tried to capture it with sight. But he was unable to capture it with sight, for 
had he captured it with sight, one would satisfy one’s appetite by simply looking at 
food. 

6 He tried to capture it with hearing. But he was unable to capture it with hear- 
ing, for had he captured it with hearing, one would satisfy one’s appetite by simply 
hearing about food. 

7 He tried to capture it with the skin. But he was unable to capture it with the 
skin, for had he captured it with the skin, one would satisfy one’s appetite by simply 
touching food. 

8 He tried to capture it with the mind. But he was unable to capture it with the 
mind, for had he captured it with the mind, one would satisfy one’s appetite by sim- 
ply thinking about food. 

9 He tried to capture it with the penis. But he was unable to capture it with the 
penis, for had he captured it with the penis, one would satisfy one’s appetite by 
simply ejaculating food. 

10 Finally, he tried to capture it with the in-breath, and then he managed to con- 
sume it. So, the wind is the one that captures food, for the wind (vayu) is the food- 
finder ( annayu ). 

1 1 Then he thought to himself: “How can this possibly carry on without me?” 
And he thought: “Through which of these shall I enter?” He thought: “If speaking is 
done through speech; if breathing out is done through the out-breath; if seeing is 
done through sight; if hearing is done through hearing; if touching is done through 
the skin; if thinking is done through the mind; if breathing in is done through the in- 
breath; and if ejaculating is done through the penis — then who am I?” 

12 So he split open the head at the point where the hairs part and entered 
through that gate. This gate ( dvar ) has the name “Split” ( vidrti ), and that is the 


319 



1.3.12. 


The Early JJpanisads 


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Mild 1 1 ? 1 1 


320 



Aitareya Upanisad 


3.1 


heaven of pleasure ( nananda ). He has three dwellings, three levels of sleep — this is 
one dwelling, this is another, and this is the third. 

1 3 After he was born, he contemplated the creatures with the thought: “Will 
anyone declare there to be another here?” But he saw only that man, the brahman , 
the utmost, and he said, “This ( idam ) I have seen ( adarsam )\ ” ^Therefore, he is 
called “Idandra.” Now, his name is Idandra; but even though he is Idandra, people 
cryptically call him Indra, because the gods somehow love the cryptic. 


ADHYAYA 2 


At the outset, this embryo comes into being within a man as semen. This radiance 
gathered from all the bodily parts he bears in himself ( atman ) as himself ( atman ). 
And when a man deposits it in a woman, he gives birth to it. That is his first birth. 

2 It becomes one with the woman’s body (atman), as if it were a part of her own 
body. As a result, it does not harm her. And she nourishes this self (atman) of his 
that has entered her. 3 As she nourishes him, so he should nourish her. The woman 
carries him as the embryo. At the beginning, he nourishes the child even before its 
birth. When he nourishes the child even before its birth, he thereby nourishes him- 
self (atman) for the continuance of these worlds, for it is in this way that these 
worlds continue. That is his second birth. 

4 And he — this self (atman) of his — is appointed to carry out holy rites, while 
his other self, after it has done all it has to do, becomes old and dies. As soon as he 
departs from this world, he is bom again. That is his third birth. 

5 This very point has been made by a seer: 

I knew all the births of these gods, 

While I was still within the womb. 

A hundred iron forts encaged me, 

Then the falcon — swiftly I flew away. 

Vamadeva spoke this way while he was still lying here within the womb. 6 Knowing 
this, he went up after the dissolution of this body and, having obtained all his de- 
sires in the heavenly world up there, became immortal. 


ADHYAYA 3 


“Who is this self (atman )!" — that is how we venerate. 

Which of these is the self? Is it that by which one sees? Or hears? Or smells 
odors? Or utters speech? Or distinguishes between what is tasty and what is not? 


321 



3.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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Aitareya Upanisad 


3.4 


2 Isit the heart and the mind? Is it awareness? Perception? Discernment? Cog- 
nition? Wisdom? Insight? Steadfastness? Thought? Reflection? Drive? Memory? 
Intention? Purpose? Will? Love? Desire? But these are various designations of cog- 
nition. 

3 It is brahman ; it is Indra; it is Prajapati; it is all the gods. It is these five im- 
mense beings — earth, wind, space, the waters, and the lights; it is these beings, as 
well as those that are some sort of mixture of trivial beings, living beings of various 
sorts — those born from eggs, from wombs, from sweat, and from sprouts. It is 
horses, cattle, men, and elephants. It is everything that has life — those that move, 
those that fly, and those that are stationary. 

Knowledge is the eye of all that, and on knowledge it is founded. Knowledge is 
the eye of the world, and knowledge, the foundation. Brahman is knowing. 

4 It is with this self consisting of knowledge that he went up from this world 
and, having obtained all his desire in the heavenly world up there, became immor- 
tal. 


The end of the Aitareya Upanisad. 


323 



FIVE 


Kausitaki Upanisad 


The Kausitaki Upanisad consists of books 3-6 of the Kausitaki (also called Sankha- 
yana) Aranyaka, which itself is part of the Kausitaki Brahmana of the Rgveda. Both 
the Brahmana and the Aranyaka of the Sankhayana school are texts that in many 
ways correspond to the parallel texts of its sister school, the Aitareya, although the 
latter texts are somewhat earlier than those of the Sankhayana (for a comparison of 
the documents of these two schools of the Rgveda, see Keith 1909, 26-39). As evi- 
dent from the numerous variant readings, the transmission of the KsU has been 
much less faithful than that of any other ancient Upanisad; Frenz’s (1968-69) edi- 
tion and translation have shown that the sequence of passages in the vulgate edition, 
especially in the first Adhyaya, is probably incorrect. 1 have followed Frenz’s se- 
quence of the first Adhyaya, but his rearrangement in the second Adhyaya is not as 
compelling. For reasons spelled out in the Note on the Edition, I have not adopted 
his reconstituted text, which deletes several passages, places within parentheses du- 
bious passages, and makes several additions. 

C ONTENTS 


1 


Uddalaka on the two paths of the dead 
Citra questions Svetaketu 
The path of those who return here after death 

The path to brahman : description of what one encounters on the path 

2 


Citra instructs 
1 

2 

3-7 


1-2 Brahman is breath 

3 Rite to capture something of value 

4 Rite to secure someone’s love 

5 Fire sacrifice offered internally in speech and breath 


324 



Kausitaki Upanisad 


6 Brahman is the Rgvedic recitation (Uktha) 

7 Three ways of worshiping the sun 

8 Rites to secure the welfare of one’s children 

9 Rite to secure one’s welfare 

10 Rite during sexual intercourse 

1 1 Greeting the son upon return from a journey 
12-13 Explanation of “the dying around of the deities” 

14 Gaining preeminence by knowing the superiority of breath over other 

vital functions 

15 Rite of transfer to the son when a father is about to die 


Indra’s instruction to Pratardana 

1 On understanding Indra 

2 Indra as breath, the self consisting of intelligence 
3-4 The superiority of breath over other vital functions 

Breath as intelligence 
What happens at death? 

5-7 Superiority of intelligence over other faculties 

8 Intelligence as the self beyond all diversity 


Dialogue between Ajatasatru and Balaki on brahman 

2-18 Ajatasatru rejects different identifications of brahman 

19 Instruction of Balaki by Ajatasatru: explanation of sleep 

20 Breath as the self consisting of intelligence 


CONCORDANCE 

The following chart gives a concordance between the text established by Frenz 
(1968-69) and the text as it appears in manuscripts and in most editions and transla- 
tions. The sign + after a number indicates that passages from that section have been 
rearranged by Frenz. 


Frenz 

Mss 

Frenz 

Mss 

1.1 

1.1 

2.8b 

2.10 

1.2 

1.2 

2.8c 

2.8+ 

1.3 

1.3+ 

2.9 

2.9 

1.4a 

1.4+ 

2.10 

2.11 

1.4b 

1.3+, 1.4+ 

2.11 

2.12 

1.5 

1.5 

2.12 

2.13 

1.6 

1.6 

2.13 

2.14 

1.7 

1.7 

2.14 

2.15 

2.1-7 

2.1-7 

3.1-8 

3.1-8 

2.8a 

2.8+ 

4.1-20 

4.1-20 


325 



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326 



ADHYAYA 1 


I Once, when Citra Gangyayani was preparing to perform a sacrifice, he chose 
Aruni as the officiating priest. But Aruni sent his son, Svetaketu, instead, 
telling him: “Go and officiate at his sacrifice.” 

After Svetaketu had taken his seat, Citra questioned him: “Son of Gautama, is 
there a closed door in the world in which you will place me, or does it have another 
road? I fear that you will place me in a false world.” Svetaketu replied: “I don’t 
know it, but I’ll ask my teacher.” 

So he went back to his father and asked him: “Here are the questions he asked 
me. How should I answer him?” The father told him: “Even I do not know the an- 
swer to them. Within the very sacrificial arena let us, after we have performed our 
vedic recitation, receive what outsiders may give us. Come, let us both go.” 

Then, carrying firewood in his hands, Aruni went up to Citra Gangayani and 
said: “Let me come to you as your pupil.” And Citra said to him: “Gautama, you 
have proved yourself worthy of the formulation of truth (brahman), since you have 
not succumbed to pride. Come, I’ll see to it that you perceive it clearly.” 


2 Citra continued: “When people depart from this world, it is to the moon that 
they all go. By means of their lifebreaths the moon swells up in the fortnight of 
waxing, and through the fortnight of waning it propels them to new birth. Now, the 
moon is the door to the heavenly world. It allows those who answer its question to 
pass. As to those who do not answer its question, after they have become rain, it 
rains them down here on earth, where they are born again in these various condi- 
tions — as a worm, an insect, a fish, a bird, a lion, a boar, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a 
man, or some other creature — each in accordance with his actions and his knowl- 
edge.” 

When someone approaches it, the moon asks: “Who are you?” And he should 
reply: 


The semen, O Seasons, is gathered, 
from the radiant one, 
from the one with fifteen parts, 
from the one who is born, 
from the one linked to the fathers. 

Then you sent me into a man, the agent; 
and, through that man as the agent, 
you poured me into a mother. 


327 















Kausltaki Upanisad 


1.5 


Here I am bom, given birth to as an addition, 
as the thirteenth, the added month, 
by a father of twelve parts. 

I recognize it. 

I understand it. 

So lead me, O Seasons, to immortality. 

By that truth, by that austerity— 

I am the season! 

I am the offspring of the season! 

Who am I? 

I am you! 

The moon lets him pass. 

3 He then gets on the path leading to the gods and reaches first the world of fire, 
then the world of wind, then the world of Varuna, then the world of Indra, then 
the world of Prajapati, and finally the world of brahman. 

Now, in this world are located the lake Ara, the watchmen Muhurta, the river 
Vijara, the tree Ilya, the plaza Salajya, the palace Aparajita, the doorkeepers Indra 
and Prajapati, the hall Vibhu, the throne Vicaksana, and the couch Amitaujas. 

4 He first arrives at the lake Ara. He crosses it with his mind, but those who go 
cL into it without a complete knowledge drown in it. Then he arrives near the 
watchmen Muhurta, but they flee from him. Then he arrives at the river Vijara, 
which he crosses with just his mind. There he shakes off his good and bad deeds, 
which fall upon his relatives — the good deeds upon the ones he likes and the bad 
deeds upon the ones he dislikes. It is like this — as a man driving a chariot would 
look down and observe the two wheels of his chariot, so he looks down and ob- 
serves the days and nights, the good and bad deeds, and all the pairs of opposites. 
Freed from his good and bad deeds, this man, who has the knowledge of brahman, 
goes on to brahman. 


A 1 The beloved ManasI and her twin CaksusT have picked flowers and bring 
slU them here — so also the two Jagati, Amba and Ambali, and other celestial 
nymphs such as Ambika. As the man who knows this is approaching, Brahman tells 
them: “Run to him with my glory! He has already arrived at the river Vijara! He 
will never grow old!” Five hundred celestial nymphs go out to meet him — one hun- 
dred carrying garlands, one hundred carrying lotions, one hundred carrying cos- 
metic powders, one hundred carrying clothes, and one hundred carrying fruits. And 
they adorn him with the ornaments of brahman. Then, decked with the ornaments of 
brahman, this man, who has the knowledge of brahman, goes on to brahman. 


5 He then arrives at the tree Ilya, and the fragrance of brahman permeates him. 

Then he arrives at the plaza Salajya, and the flavor of brahman permeates him. 
Then he arrives at the palace Aparajita, and the radiance of brahman permeates 


329 



1.5 


The Early Upanisads 


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330 



Kausitaki Upanisad 


1.7 


him. Then he arrives near the doorkeepers, Indra and Prajapati, and they flee from 
him. Then he arrives at the hall Vibhu, and the glory of brahman permeates him. 

Then he arrives at the throne Vicaksana. Its two front legs are the Saman chants 
Brhat and Rathantara; its two back legs are the Saman chants Syaita and Naudhasa; 
its two lengthwise supports are the Saman chants Vairupa and Vairaja; and its two 
side supports are the Saman chants Sakvara and Raivata. The throne itself is wis- 
dom, for wisdom enables a man to be discerning. 

Then he arrives at the couch Amitaujas. It is lifebreath. Its two front legs are 
the past and the present; its two back legs are prosperity and nourishment; its two 
lengthwise supports are the Saman chants Brhat and Rathantara; its two head sup- 
ports are the Saman chants Bhadra and Yajnayajnlya; the strings stretching length- 
wise are the Rg verses and the Saman chants; those stretching crosswise are the 
Yajus formulas; the coverlet is the Soma stalks; the second cover is the High Chant; 
and the pillow is prosperity. 

On that couch sits brahman. A man who knows this mounts it, first with his 
foot. Brahman then asks him: “Who are you?” He should reply — 


6 “I am the season! I am the offspring of the season. I was born from the womb 
of space as the semen for the wife, as the radiance of the year, as the self 
(atman) of every being! You are the self of every being. I am who you are.” 
Brahman then asks him: “Who am I?” 

And he should reply: “The real.” 

“What is the real ( satyam )?” 

“Sat is whatever is other than the gods and the lifebreaths (prana), while Tyam 
consists of the gods and the lifebreaths. All of that is comprehended by this word 
‘real’ (satyam). That is the full extent of this whole world. And you are this whole 
world.” 

That is what he then said to brahman. This very point has been made in this 
verse: 



Yajus is the belly, Saman, the head; 
The Rg is the body of this great seer; 
He is imperishable. 

He consists of brahman. 

“He is brahman ” — 

So should he be known. 


Brahman then asks him: “By what means do you grasp my masculine names?” 
He should reply: “With my breath.” 

“And my neuter names?” 

“With my mind.” 

“And my feminine names?” 

“With my speech.” 

“And my odors?” 

“With my sense of smell.” 


331 



1.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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332 



Kausltaki JJpanisad 


2.1 


“And my visible appearances?” 

“With my sight.” 

“And my sounds?” 

“With my hearing.” 

“And my tasting of food?” 

“With my tongue.” 

“And my actions?” 

“With my hands.” 

“And my pleasure and pain?” 

“With my body.” 

“And my bliss, delight, and procreation?” 

“With my sexual organ.” 

“And my movements?” 

“With my feet.” 

“And my thoughts, objects of perception, and desires?” 

“With my intellect.” 

Brahman then tells him: “I see that you have truly attained my world. It is 
yours, so-and-so!” Whatever victory and success belongs to brahman — the same 
victory he wins, the same success he attains, when a man comes to know this. 


ADHYAYA 2 


1 ''Brahman is breath” — that is what Kausltaki used to say. Now, of this breath 
that is brahman — the messenger is the mind; the guard is sight; the crier is 
hearing; and the maid is speech. 

And, indeed, anyone who knows that the mind is the messenger of this breath 
that is brahman comes to possess a messenger; anyone who knows that sight is its 
guard comes to possess a guard; anyone who knows that hearing is its crier comes 
to possess a crier; and anyone who knows that speech is its maid comes to possess a 
maid. 

And to this very breath that is brahman all these deities bring offerings without 
its having to ask. All beings, likewise, bring offerings to a man who knows this 
without his ever having to ask. “He should not ask” — that is his secret instruction 
(upanisad). 

It is like this. Take a man who begs in a village and receives nothing. He would 
sit down, vowing: “I’ll never eat anything given from here.” Thereupon, the very 
same people who may have previously spurned him offer him invitations. 

For one who does not ask, this becomes the rule — the very people who give 
food invite him, saying: “We’ll give you.” 


333 



2.2 


The Early Upanisads 












KausTtaki Upanisad 


2.4 


2 “Brahman is breath” — that is what Paingya used to say. Now, of this breath 
that is brahman — the sight is confined behind speech; the hearing is confined 
behind sight; the mind is confined behind hearing; and the breath is confined behind 
the mind. 

To this very breath that is brahman, indeed, all these deities bring offerings 
without its having to ask. All beings, likewise, bring offerings to a man who knows 
this without his ever having to ask. “He should not ask” — that is his secret instruc- 
tion (upanisad). 

It is like this. Take a man who begs in a village and doesn’t receive anything. 
He would sit down, vowing: “I’ll never eat anything given from here.” Thereupon, 
the very same people who may have previously spurned him offer him invitations. 

For one who does not ask, this becomes the rule — the very people who give 
food invite him, saying: “We’ll give you.” 

3 Next, the capture of “an identical object of value.” When a person sets his heart 
on “an identical object of value” [as someone else], this is what he should do. 
Either on the full moon or on the new moon, or under an auspicious constellation 
during the bright half of the month, he should put firewood into his sacred fire, 
sweep around it, spread sacred grass around it, and sprinkle water around it. Then, 
bending his right knee, he offers the following oblations of ghee with a spoon: 

The deity named Speech is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

The deity named Smell is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

The deity named Sight is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

The deity named Hearing is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

The deity named Mind is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

The deity named Intelligence is a captor. May he capture this for me from 
so-and-so. 

To that deity, svaha! 

Then, after he smells the fragrance of the smoke and rubs his body with the ghee, he 
should go out silently and either make his objective known in person or dispatch a 
messenger. And so, indeed, he will take possession of it. 

4 Next, divinely secured love. If someone desires to be the favorite of a particu- 
lar man or woman, or of a group of men or women, he should make the same 
offerings of ghee in the very same manner on one of the auspicious days given 
above: 


335 



2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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Kausltaki Upanisad 


2.7 


So-and-so, I offer your speech in me, svaha! 

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So-and-so, I offer your hearing in me, svaha! 

So-and-so, I offer your mind in me, svaha! 

So-and-so, I offer your intelligence in me, svaha! 

Then, after he smells the fragrance of the smoke and rubs his body with ghee, he 
should go out silently and either seek to come into bodily contact with the person(s) 
in question or simply stand upwind engaged in conversation with the individual(s) 
in question. He will, indeed, become their favorite! They will, indeed, love him! 

5 Next, the control of Pratardana, which is also called “the daily fire sacrifice 
offered internally.” Clearly, a man is unable to breathe while he is speaking. 
So, during that time he offers his breath in his speech. A man is, likewise, unable to 
speak while he is breathing. So, during that time he offers his speech in his breath. 

One offers these two endless and deathless offerings without interruption, 
whether one is awake or asleep. All other offerings, on the other hand, are limited, 
for they consist of ritual activities. It is because they knew this that people in an- 
cient times refrained from offering the daily fire sacrifice. 

6 “Brahman is the Uktha” — that is what Suskabhrngara used to say. One should 
venerate it as the Rg; then, for the sake of his preeminent prosperity, all beings 
will recite praises ( abhi-arc -) for him. One should venerate it as the Yajus; then, for 
the sake of his preeminent prosperity, all beings will unite (yuj-) with him. One 
should venerate it as the Saman; then, for the sake of his preeminent prosperity, all 
beings will bow down ( sam-nam -) to him. 

One should venerate it as prosperity; one should venerate it as glory; and one 
should venerate it as radiance. Then, just as the Uktha is the most prosperous, the 
most glorious, and the most splendid among the Recitations of Praise, in exactly the 
same way someone who knows this becomes the most prosperous, the most glori- 
ous, and the most splendid of all beings. 

Now, this self of the sacrifice, this self consisting of rites — the Adhvaryu priest 
puts it together and weaves upon it the self consisting of the Yajus formulas; upon 
the self consisting of the Yajus formulas the Hotr priest weaves the self consisting 
of the Rg verses; and upon the self consisting of the Rg verses the Udgatr priest 
weaves the self consisting of the Saman chants. Such is the self of the triple Veda — 
and this becomes, therefore, the self of Indra, [the self of him] who knows this. 

7 Next, there are three modes of veneration of Sarvajit Kausltaki. Now, this is 
how Sarvajit Kausltaki used to venerate the rising sun. Wearing the upper 
garment in the sacrificial position, he would fetch some water, pour it into the water 
pot three times, and say: “You are the one who gathers! Gather my sin!” He used to 
worship the midday sun in exactly the same way, saying: “You are the one who 


337 



2.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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Kausitaki Upanisad 


2.9 


gathers up! Gather up my sin!” And he used to worship the setting sun in exactly 
the same way, saying: “You are the one who gathers completely! Gather my sin 
completely!” And the sun did gather completely whatever sin he had committed by 
day or night. 

Likewise, when a man knows this and worships the sun in exactly the same 
way, the sun gathers completely whatever sin he may commit by day or night. 

8 Every month, moreover, on the night of the new moon one should worship the 
moon as it becomes visible in the west using the very same procedure. Or else 
one may throw two green blades of grass toward it, saying: 

My heart, the fine kindling stick, 
is placed within the moon — 
this, I do reckon, I know. 

So may I not have to weep 
for my children’s misfortune! 

His children, indeed, will not die before him. 

Now, the preceding is for a man who has a son. As for one who does not have a 
son, on the other hand, he should first recite silently these three Rg verses: 

Swell up, O Soma! 

May virility 

gather in you from all sides! 

Be there 

at the gathering of power! 

May juices and powers. 

May virile energies, 

gather in you, who crush the enemies; 

As you swell, O Soma, to immortality, 
you capture in the sky the highest glory. 

That tiny drop, 

the Adityas make to swell; 

That imperishable drop, 

the imperishable ones drink; 

With that drop, 

may king Varuna and Brhaspati, 
the guardian gods of the world, 
make us swell! 

He then says: “Do not swell yourself up by means of our lifebreath, our children, or 
our livestock. Swell yourself up instead by means of the lifebreath, children, and 
livestock of the man who hates us and whom we hate.” Then he turns a full circle 
toward his right, saying: “I turn the way of Indra! I turn the way of the sun!” 

9 On the night of the full moon, furthermore, one should worship the moon as it 
becomes visible in the east using the very same procedure, saying: 

“You are King Soma, the radiant! You are Prajapati, with five mouths! 


339 



2.9 


The Early JJpanisads 


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340 



Kausitaki Upanisad 


2.11 


“The Brahmin is one mouth of yours; with that mouth you eat the kings. Make 
me a food-eater with that mouth. 

“The king is one mouth of yours; with that mouth you eat the Vaisyas. Make 
me a food-eater with that mouth. 

“The falcon is one mouth of yours; with that mouth you eat the birds. Make me 
a food-eater with that mouth. 

“The fire is one mouth of yours; with that mouth you eat this world. Make me a 
food-eater with that mouth. 

“There is a fifth mouth in you; with that mouth you eat all beings. Make me a 
food-eater with that mouth. 

“Do not wane by means of our lifebreath, our children, or our livestock. Wane 
instead by means of the life, children, and livestock of the man who hates us and 
whom we hate.” Then he turns a full circle toward his right, saying: “I turn the way 
of the deities! I turn the way of the sun!” 



Now, when a man is preparing to engage in sexual intercourse with his 
wife, he should touch her heart, saying: 


Your heart, O lady so good to lie on, 
rests within Prajapati. 

Therefore, O queen of immortality, 
may you not encounter 
your children’s misfortune! 

Her children, indeed, will not die before her. 


n Now, when a man returns from a journey, he should sniff his son’s head, 
saying: 

From my body you spring — from every inch! 

From my heart you are bom! 

You’re my self, son, you have rescued me! 

May you live a hundred years! 

With that he confers the name on him. 

Be a rock! Be an ax! 

Be indestructible gold! 

You are the radiance called son! 

May you live a hundred years! 

With that he pronounces his son’s name and then embraces him, saying: “As 
Prajapati embraced his children for their safety, so I embrace you, so-and-so!” Then 
he recites this silently in his son’s right ear: 

O Indra! O Maghavan! O Rjlsin ! 

Grant him ample wealth, 
bestowing all treasures. 

O Indra, you with fine cheeks! 

Grant him a hundred years to live, 
and countless heroic sons. 


341 



2.11 


The Early Upanisads 


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342 



Kausltaki Upanisad 


2.13 


And in his left ear: 

Grant him, O Indra, 

the finest treasures and quickness of mind 
good fortune and increase of wealth, 
bodily safety and sweetness of speech, 
fine weather every day of his life. 

Then he sniffs his son’s head three times, saying: 

Be not cut off! Do not weaken! 

O my son, live a life, 
a hundred years long! 

With your name, 

I kiss your head, 

So-and-so! 

Then he makes the sound “hum” over his son’s head, saying: “With the same ‘ hum ’ 
sound the cows make as they low, I make the ‘hum’ sound upon your head.” 

"1 O Next, the “dying around of the deities.” The brahman shines forth here 
_L J—m when the fire is burning; but when the fire stops burning it dies, and its ra- 
diance goes to the sun, and its lifebreath to the wind. The brahman shines forth here 
when the sun is shining; but when the sun stops shining it dies, and its radiance goes 
to the moon, and its lifebreath to the wind. The brahman shines forth here when the 
moon is shining; but when the moon stops shining it dies, and its radiance goes to 
the lightning, and its lifebreath to the wind. The brahman shines forth here when the 
lightning is flashing; but when the lightning stops flashing it dies, and its radiance 
goes to the quarters, and its lifebreath to the wind. Now, when they have entered 
into the wind, when they have crept into the wind, all these deities do not lose their 
self-identity, but emerge from it once again. 

That was with respect to the deities. Next, with respect to the body ( atman ): 


B The brahman shines forth here when one is speaking with one’s speech; but 
when one stops speaking it dies, and its radiance goes to one’s sight, and its 
lifebreath to one’s breath. The brahman shines forth here when one is seeing with 
one’s sight; but when one stops seeing it dies, and its radiance goes to one’s hear- 
ing, and its lifebreath to one’s breath. The brahman shines forth here when one is 
hearing with one’s hearing; but when one stops hearing it dies, and its radiance goes 
to one’s mind, and its lifebreath to one’s breath. The brahman shines forth here 
when one is thinking with one’s mind; but when one stops thinking it dies, and its 
radiance goes to one’s breath, and its lifebreath to one’s breath. Now, when they 
have entered the breath, when they have crept into the breath, all these deities do not 
lose their self-identity, but emerge from it once again. 

And, therefore, when someone knows this, even if both the mountain ranges, 
the southern and the northern, were to rush at him determined to level him, they 
would not succeed in leveling him. On the contrary, the people who hate him and 
the people he himself hates will die around him. 


343 




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g^ : % if tor ^toto to I ct to 3^r to rt. I 

344 





Kausltaki Upanisad 


2.15 


M Ncxt, gaining preeminence. Once these deities, each arguing for its own 
preeminence, departed from this body, and it lay there like a log. 

Then speech entered the body, but, although it spoke with its speech, it still re- 
mained there lying prostrate. 

After that, sight entered the body, but, although it spoke with its speech and 
saw with its sight, it still remained there lying prostrate. 

After that, hearing entered the body, but, although it spoke with its speech, saw 
with its sight, and heard with its hearing, it still remained there lying prostrate. 

After that, the mind entered the body, but, although it spoke with its speech, 
saw with its sight, heard with its hearing, and thought with its mind, it still remained 
there lying prostrate. 

Finally, the breath entered the body, and straightway it got up. 

After all these deities had recognized the preeminence of breath and united 
themselves with that very breath, which is the self ( dtman ) consisting of intelli- 
gence, they all departed together from this body, and, entering the wind and with 
space as their self, went to heaven. 

In exactly the same way, a person who knows this, after he has recognized the 
preeminence of breath and united himself with that very breath, which is the self 
consisting of intelligence, departs from this body accompanied by all these, and, 
entering the wind and with space as his self, goes to heaven. He goes to where these 
gods are. And because the gods are immortal, upon reaching there a man who 
knows this becomes immortal. 


"| pr Next, the father-son ceremony, which is also called the rite of transfer. A 
JL \~J father, when he is close to death, calls his son. After the house has been 
strewn with fresh grass, the fire has been kindled, and a pot of water has been set 
down along with a cup, the father lies down covered in a fresh garment. The son 
comes and lies on top of him, touching the various organs of the father with his own 
corresponding organs. Alternatively, the father may execute the transfer with the 
son sitting and facing him. The father then makes the transfer to the son: 

“I will place my speech in you,” says the father. “I place your speech in me,” 
responds the son. 

“I will place my breath in you,” says the father. “I place your breath in me,” re- 
sponds the son. 

“I will place my sight in you,” says the father. “I place your sight in me,” re- 
sponds the son. 

“I will place my hearing in you,” says the father. “I place your hearing in me,” 
responds the son. 

“I will place my tasting of food in you,” says the father. “I place your tasting of 
food in me,” responds the son. 

“I will place my actions in you,” says the father. “I place your actions in me,” 
responds the son. 

“I will place my pleasures and pains in you,” says the father. “I place your 
pleasures and pains in me,” responds the son. 


345 



2.15 


The Early Upanisads 


3 TFF? tor toff t rto rtotfcT facTT I 3 TTto to tocT ft 
to 3 sr to 5 ^r: l 

tor 10 £r tor toto to I eto; 1 to to ^ I 
to *r tor srtotfrT to I tot to to to I 
to ir tor ^toto tor I to ft to ^r to to ;12 l 
m totor: wirtoto sr^rnto tor ertoto to I rrmto 

' 0 c\ 

to to to ;13 1 

3ft to^to^totowto 14 I cT torwtot tor ^totr 15 tofto 
c^t ^wrftor I 3rtor: rr^rtotortoto' 16 tontor ^Ritor 17 =rr 
w*m toff $ ^ i ^RTTwtor I 

*r 5 vjj|'.;: ^qrcjtotof 18 tor toto tor I ?rg" t torrtot 
^rtototo rrtototo tot W° rrtototo tor 1 1 ?hi l 

II to totoezTFT: II 


stofr 1 f t 2 ttototoFT to totwipr gto ^ toto =w \ ?f 
to ^T^r tor to ftotor I *r tor^r Rctortor 4 it 5 ^tor tr ^ 
ftoto wrr to I t to rj^T^r t t - torscrto fto 'tow 
ftotor l tor 7 t -8 fto w to 9 torw tor: I tor toto: wtow 
tor 10 to to: l 

cf to wcnto tow ftotot I toto toto to wto 2 
ftotorw 13 I ftoftor ^#^nr 14 ar^prito towrraito^ 16 5nw y 
to : ^ jW wftow fto rrfrrtoTtotor 19 stoto h 1 to tori' 20 

c^lcicjoio^i h' I W5W ir WW W rtlH dH l^l'Mcl I 

N 

w wt to to 23 Tft wew tor ww wtor tor tott 24 w tor w 
piftW w wRjwto w totor 23 I www to" ^to 2 ' gtoto to 
to 28 u?n 


346 



Kausitaki Upanisad 


3.1 


“I will place my bliss, delight, and procreation in you,” says the father. “I place 
your bliss, delight, and procreation in me,” responds the son. 

“I will place my movements in you,” says the father. “I place your movements 
in me,” responds the son. 

“I will place my mind in you,” says the father. “I place your mind in me,” re- 
sponds the son. 

“I will place my intelligence in you,” says the father. “I place your intelligence 
in me,” responds the son. 

If he finds it difficult to talk, the father should say very briefly : “I will place my 
vital functions (prana ) in you.” And the son should respond: “I place your vital 
functions in me.” 

Then, as the son, turning around toward his right, goes away toward the east, 
his father calls out to him: “May glory, the luster of sacred knowledge, and fame 
attend you!” The son, for his part, looks over his left shoulder, hiding his face with 
his hand or covering it with the hem of his garment, and responds: “May you gain 
heavenly worlds and realize your desires!” 

If the father recovers his health, he should either live under the authority of his 
son or live as a wandering ascetic. But if he happens to die, they should perform the 
appropriate final rites for him. 


ADHYAYA 3 


I Once Pratardana, the son of Divodasa, arrived at the favorite residence of Indra 
as a result of war and valor. And Indra said to him: “Choose a present, Pratar- 
dana.” But Pratardana replied: “Why don’t you yourself choose something for me 
that you consider most beneficial to a human being?” Indra retorted: “Surely, a su- 
perior does not choose for someone who is inferior to him. You had better choose 
yourself.” And Pratardana replied: “Well then, I think I’ll do without the present.” 
Indra, however, did not deviate from the truth, for Indra is the truth. 

And he told Pratardana: “Perceive just me. What I consider to be most benefi- 
cial to a human being is that he should perceive me. I killed the three-headed son of 
Tvastr, as well as the Arunmukhas. I handed over the Yatis to the hyenas. Breaking 
numerous agreements, I smashed the Prahladlyas in the sky, the Paulomas in the 
intermediate region, and the Kalakanjas on the earth. And I did not lose even a hair 
of my body in the process. 

“When a man perceives me, nothing that he does — whether it is stealing, or 
performing an abortion, or killing his own father or mother — will ever make him 
lose a single hair of his body. And when he has committed a sin, his face does not 
lose its color.” 


347 



3.2 


The Early Upanisads 


F' SHijllcFI I cT FTFTgFgFpFFFTFF I FTF: FFT: PIT' 

FT 3TTJ: I FN^RFo^'Cl't FFP FTFfcT dlF<}ld: | FFIF IQ FrR4 $T- 

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gFF iFf^fcr Iff FFTF I fRf FFTTFT 9 ft:tFFMt 20 ll^ll 


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#rffcT I tFT FFT FFTfit I 

FT t FFT: FT FfF I FT FfF F FFTt° 1 F#tF f##t#tfFF 
FtrFgFF FTcff Fft’FFTFf# 1 ttc# 2 FFTg #RT 23 I FFTI^FFFft^FcT ‘ 4 


348 



Kausltaki Upanisad 


3.3 


2 And Indra continued: “I am breath {prana ), the self ( atrnan ) consisting of intel- 
ligence. So venerate me as life and immortality. Breath is life. And life is 
breath, for as long as breath remains in this body, so does life; and hence it is 
through breath that one attains immortality in this world, and through intelligence, 
true intentions. Anyone who venerates me as life and immortality gets to live his 
full life span in this world and wins an immortal and imperishable state in the heav- 
enly world.” 

“But there are some people who say that the vital functions (prana) come to- 
gether into a unified whole. For, no one is able to bring himself to perceive sepa- 
rately a name with his speech, a visible appearance with his sight, a sound with his 
hearing, or a thought with his mind. When the vital functions have become a unified 
whole, however, they make him perceive all these one by one — as speech speaks, 
all the vital functions speak along with it; as sight sees, all the vital functions see 
along with it; as hearing hears, all the vital functions hear along with it; as the mind 
thinks, all the vital functions think along with it; and as the breath breathes, all the 
vital functions breathe along with it.” 

“That’s exactly so,” said Indra. “But there does exist among the vital functions 
one that is preeminent.” 

3 “A man continues to live after his speech leaves him, for we see people who 
are dumb. A man continues to live after his sight leaves him, for we see people 
who are blind. A man continues to live after his hearing leaves him, for we see peo- 
ple who are deaf. A man continues to live after his mind leaves him, for we see 
people who are imbeciles. And a man continues to live after his arms are cut off and 
after his legs are cut off, for we see such people. 

“But only the breath, you see, is the self consisting of intelligence. When it 
grasps this body, it enables the body to get up ( uttha ), and for this reason one should 
venerate it as the Uktha. This is how one comes to possess the Whole in one’s 
breath. 

“Now, breath is intelligence, and intelligence is breath — one comes to see this, 
one comes to perceive this, in the following way. When a man is fast asleep and 
sees no dreams at all, then these become unified within this very breath — his speech 
then merges into it together with all the names; his sight merges into it together with 
all the visible appearances; his hearing merges into it together with all the sounds; 
and his mind merges into it together with all the thoughts. And when he awakens 
these fly off — as from a blazing fire sparks fly off in every direction, so from this 
self the vital functions (prana) fly off to their respective stations, and from the vital 
functions, the gods, and from the gods, the worlds. 

“When this very breath that is the self consisting of intelligence grasps this 
body, it enables the body to get up (uttha), and for this reason one should venerate it 
as the Uktha. This is how one comes to possess the Whole in one’s breath. 

“Breath is intelligence, and intelligence is breath — one finds the proof of this, 
one comes to perceive this, in the following way. When a man is sick and about to 
die, he becomes extremely weak and finally loses consciousness. People then say: 


349 








Kaufitaki Upanisad 


3.6 


‘Has his breath, perhaps, already left him?’ At this point, he ceases to hear, he 
ceases to see, he ceases to speak with his speech, and he ceases to think. Then these 
become unified within this very breath — his speech merges into it together with all 
the names; his sight merges into it together with all the visible appearances; his 
hearing merges into it together with all the sounds; and his mind merges into it to- 
gether with all the thoughts. And when the breath finally departs from this body, it 
is together with all these that it departs. 

4 “Speech releases from this breath all the names, and through speech one grasps 
all the names. The sense of smell releases from it all the odors, and through the 
sense of smell one grasps all the odors. Sight releases from it all the visible appear- 
ances, and through sight one grasps all the visible appearances. Hearing releases 
from it all the sounds, and through hearing one grasps all the sounds. The mind re- 
leases from it all the thoughts, and through the mind one grasps all the thoughts. 
This is how one comes to possess the Whole in one’s breath. Breath is intelligence, 
and intelligence is breath, for they both live in this body together, and together they 
depart from it.” 

Next, we will explain how, [drawn] from this intelligence, all beings become one. 

5 “Speech is one part drawn from it, and name is the particle of being that corre- 
sponds externally to speech. The sense of smell is one part drawn from it, and 
odor is the particle of being that corresponds externally to the sense of smell. Sight 
is one part drawn from it, and visible appearance is the particle of being that corre- 
sponds externally to sight. Hearing is one part drawn from it, and sound is the parti- 
cle of being that corresponds externally to hearing. The tongue is one part drawn 
from it, and the taste of food is the particle of being that corresponds externally to 
the tongue. The hands are one part drawn from it, and action is the particle of being 
that corresponds externally to the hands. The body is one part drawn from it, and 
pleasure and pain constitute the particle of being that corresponds externally to the 
body. The sexual organ is one part drawn from it, and bliss, delight, and procreation 
constitute the particle of being that corresponds externally to the sexual organ. The 
feet are one part drawn from it, and movements constitute the particle of being that 
corresponds externally to the feet. Intelligence is one part drawn from it, and 
thoughts, objects of perception, and desires constitute the particle of being that cor- 
responds externally to the intelligence. 

6 “When someone mounts speech by means of intelligence, he grasps all names 
through his speech. When someone mounts the sense of smell by means of 
intelligence, he grasps all odors through his sense of smell. When someone mounts 
sight by means of intelligence, he grasps all visible appearances through his sight. 
When someone mounts hearing by means of intelligence, he grasps all sounds 
through his hearing. When someone mounts the tongue by means of intelligence, he 
grasps all tastes of food through his tongue. When someone mounts the hands by 


351 



3.6 


The Early Upanisads 


srw srtt ww I q^qw WFiIfqt lHiFt 3 

tcT ^nfcPTOtfcT I 5fW qrt FFRfF FT^T W FFf ^T sntrfcT I PTff^T 

fM FRiFfr q?itF fmfr FdFFnqtfcr 4 1 1 g i 


F ft qfTTtclT FHF FTF ft^FT q^IFt^' 3FFF t F=ftS^?W 
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tfddltldH^.FI Fct: TdlrltdldiF fddld N I tdTT ftft^TTtttcTTt ftdTcT I 
F FFT tftdltlF FFTlt 14 did I 


352 



Kausltaki Upanisad 


3.8 


means of intelligence, he grasps all actions through his hands. When someone 
mounts the body by means of intelligence, he grasps pleasures and pains through his 
body. When someone mounts the sexual organ by means of intelligence, he grasps 
bliss, delight, and procreation through his sexual organ. When someone mounts the 
feet by means of intelligence, he grasps all movements through his feet. When 
someone mounts thinking by means of intelligence, he grasps thoughts, objects of 
perception, and desires through his intelligence. 

7 “For without intelligence, speech would not make someone perceive any name. 

So, one says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that name.’ For 
without intelligence, the sense of smell would not make someone perceive any odor. 
So, one says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that odor.’ For without 
intelligence, sight would not make someone perceive any visible appearance. So, 
one says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that visible appearance.’ For 
without intelligence, hearing would not make someone perceive any sound. So, one 
says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that sound.’ For without intelli- 
gence, the tongue would not make someone perceive the taste of any food. So, one 
says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive the taste of that food.’ For with- 
out intelligence, the hands would not make someone perceive any action. So, one 
says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that action.’ For without intelli- 
gence, the body would not make someone perceive any pleasure or pain. So, one 
says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive that pleasure or that pain.’ For 
without intelligence, the sexual organ would not make someone perceive any bliss, 
delight, or procreation. So, one says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not perceive 
that bliss, delight, or procreation.’ For without intelligence, the feet would not make 
someone perceive any movement. So, one says: ‘My mind was elsewhere. I did not 
perceive that movement.’ For without intelligence, no thinking could take place, 
and one would not perceive any object of perception. 

8 “It is not the speech that a man should seek to apprehend; rather, he should get 
to know the one who speaks it. It is not the odor that a man should seek to ap- 
prehend; rather, he should get to know the one who smells it. It is not the visible 
appearance that a man should seek to apprehend; rather, he should get to know the 
one who sees it. It is not the sound that a man should seek to apprehend; rather, he 
should get to know the one who hears it. It is not the taste of food that a man should 
seek to apprehend; rather, he should get to know the one who apprehends the taste 
of food. It is not the action that a man should seek to apprehend; rather, he should 
get to know the one who performs it. It is not the pleasure and pain that a man 
should seek to apprehend; rather, he should get to know the one who apprehends 
pleasure and pain. It is not the bliss, delight, or procreation that a man should seek 
to apprehend; rather, he should get to know the one who apprehends bliss, delight, 
or procreation. It is not the movement that a man should seek to apprehend; rather, 
he should get to know the one who moves. It is not the mind that a man should seek 
to apprehend; rather, he should know the one who thinks. 


353 



3.8 


The Early Upanisads 


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^TddTdT d ddf WPTTdT: I ddT RfTPTTTr d ^ddTdT: I d 

IRTrRcTt f^HFT %Wlcf I 


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dtfer: 19 I d d dTdrRr tor d 3rr^% fend Ikll 


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dddT ffcT dT" d U ddT dlddfer life 

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dfcTdmMIdldi feftd: RRr^^ldld^RFcf ijdj": fet dd: dfft" 
ydNfeRfeRrRr did: dfe%Rr dddd life 

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d Id^ld dt feRnd-M Idld^r. I dfd^l- d5d I ddldi dT d 5? R d ^q Id 

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d sC I did" dTdTfef q^td dddRf ddddT^dTFgdTd fef I d felW- 


354 



Kausitaki Upanisacl 


4.4 


“These, then, are the particles of being; there are just ten of them. They exist in 
correlation to intelligence, just as the ten particles of intelligence exist in correlation 
to the external elements. For, if the particles of being did not exist, there would be 
no particles of intelligence, and, inversely, if the particles of intelligence did not 
exist, there would be no particles of being, because from either of them indepen- 
dently no image would be produced. 

“Nevertheless, there is no diversity in all this. As in a chariot the rim is fastened 
to the spokes, and the spokes, to the hub, in just the same way these particles of be- 
ing are fastened to the particles of intelligence, and the particles of intelligence are 
fastened to breath. This very breath is the self consisting of intelligence; it is bliss, 
unaging, and immortal. It does not become more by good actions or in any way less 
by bad actions, for it is the one that makes those people perform good actions whom 
it wants to lead up from these worlds and makes those people perform bad actions 
whom it wants to push down from these worlds. He is the ruler of the world. He is 
the sovereign of the world. He is the lord of the world. One should realize: ‘He is 
my self ( atman ).’” 


ADHYAYA 4 


I Now, Gargya Balaki was a learned and widely traveled man, who had lived in 
the land of Usinara, in the land of Satvan and Matsya, in the land of Kuru and 
Pancala, and in the land of Kasi and Videha. Once he visited Ajatasatru, the king of 
Kasi, and said to him: “Let me tell you a formulation of truth ( brahman ).” 
Ajatasatru replied: “We’ll give you a thousand cows! At a speech such as that, peo- 
ple are sure to rush here, shouting: ‘Here’s a Janaka! Here’s a Janaka!”’ 

2 The great in the sun; the food in the moon; the radiance in lightning; the sound 
in thunder; Indra Vaikuntha in the wind; the full in space; the irresistible in the 
fire; the truth in the waters — that was with respect to the divine sphere. Next, with 
respect to the body {atman ) — resemblance in a mirror; companion in a shadow; life 
in an echo; death in a sound; Yama in a dream; Prajapati in the body; [the essence] 
of speech in the right eye; [the essence] of truth in the left eye. 

3 Balaki then said: “It is that person in the sun that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as the 
most eminent of all beings, as their head. Anyone who venerates him in this way 
will become the most eminent of all beings, he will become their head.” 

4 Balaki then said: “It is that person in the moon that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 


355 



4.4 


The Early Upanisads 


dld^df I 1 dTrfr I Hi fcl " dT 

sr^cfgw firr I ?r ^fr tcrrta^^sfWR^rr I ivi i 

W f^TxT dlcilR4 fcffcT ^wrwgw ffcT I # ft^W- 
STTrTSrpf I clW 3TTHtfcr 2 dT STf^cT^W ffcT I d~ 4t 

tcT^fTR^^w 1 anw^rafcr IIMI 

d" ^TET ^Tc5TfM ?cRl^# ffcT I cf IT^T^TT- 

dTdsrpf I ^nMfci nr st^ct^w ffcr I w 4T 

tdAd^HItcl ^Is^WlcHI wfcf 1 1^1 1 

w fmr^r «rroMf>4 i#r 2 srrat ifcr I ir frwr^T- 

sncRi'g^if tcrf^Rrar^rw: l tcg^Tdf^err £r4fcr m ^"ficrgw 
ffcT I ?T 4t fcT^WT fcnwj# dT amM^HddHddPtft 3 ^wfcT 1 M 1 

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f^rrcrft# ^r 3 f 4V ^mfcT 2 IKII 

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Bd4dHMI^' yfcNf'Ml |dTW 5MTd~mMldl'' dmfcTHT: II?? II 

v -o ^ 


356 



Kausltaki Upanisad 


4.11 


Soma, the great king dressed in white, the essence ( atman ) of food. Anyone who 
venerates him in this way will become the essence of food.” 

5 Balaki then said: “It is that person in lightning that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as the 
essence (atman) of radiance. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become 
the essence of radiance.” 

6 Balaki then said: “It is that person in thunder that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as the 
essence (atman) of sound. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become the 
essence of sound.” 

7 Balaki then said: “It is that person in the wind that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as Indra 
Vaikuntha, the invincible weapon. Anyone who venerates him in this way will be- 
come victorious and invincible, and he will triumph over his adversaries.” 

8 Balaki then said: “It is that person in space that I venerate.” Ajatasatru replied: 
“Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as the full and 
nondepleting brahman. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become filled 
with children and livestock, with fame and the luster of sacred knowledge, and with 
the heavenly world; he will live his full life span.” 

9 Balaki then said: “It is that person in the fire that I venerate.” Ajatasatru re- 
plied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as the 
irresistible one. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become irresistible 
among those who are outsiders.” 

'1 r\ Balaki then said: “It is that person in the waters that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
JL W replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
the essence (atman) of truth. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become 
the essence of truth.” 

That was with respect to the divine sphere. Next, with respect to the body (atman): 

n Balaki then said: “It is that person in a mirror that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
a resemblance. When anyone venerates him in this way, only children who resem- 
ble him will be born to him, and none who does not resemble him.” 


357 



4.12 


The Early Upanisads 


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tt tcT^rgqnrc^ f^fr ftrM 1 ftcftwiV ti^fcr 1 1 h 1 1 

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tcf^^TRcT T ^TciloH'Hif^fcr ll?3ll 

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T ^Tc5TlMf^r 3 ll?V|l 

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ft^wrwiwpt tcrf^kT^fW: I ^nrt frtft <fr srftcrgw ffcr I gr 
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gr tr^r ai«r%t iffr grczrs%fV iww^i^w ffcr I cf fr^w- 
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^fr cT i^rtffcT 6 I tf t ir^rt gww ^cfr ?rw t dc^4 7 gr t 
tftcTw ftr i 


358 



Kausitaki Upanisad 


4.19 


"I Balaki then said: “It is that person in a shadow that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
X sLm replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
the inseparable companion. Anyone who venerates him in this way will find a com- 
panion; he will be a man who has a companion.” 

i O Balaki then said: “It is that person in an echo that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
X vj replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
life. Anyone who venerates him in this way will not lose consciousness before his 
appointed time.” 

M Balaki then said: “It is that person in a sound that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
death. Anyone who venerates him in this way will not die before his appointed 
time.” 

"1 [“ Balaki then said: “It is that person who, as one sleeps, roams about in 
X dreams that I venerate.” Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t drag me into a discus- 
sion about him! I venerate him only as King Yama. When anyone venerates him in 
this way, this whole world submits itself to his supremacy.” 

'I S' Balaki then said: “It is that person in the body that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
X U replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
Prajapati. Anyone who venerates him in this way propagates himself through chil- 
dren and livestock, fame and the luster of sacred knowledge, and the heavenly 
world; he will live his full life span.” 

-1 P7 Balaki then said: “It is that person in the right eye that I venerate.” 
X / Ajatasatru replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate 
him only as the essence ( at man ) of speech, as the essence of fire, as the essence of 
light. Anyone who venerates him in this way will become the essence of all these.” 

"1 O Balaki then said: “It is that person in the left eye that I venerate.” Ajatasatru 
X O replied: “Don’t drag me into a discussion about him! I venerate him only as 
the essence ( atman ) of truth, as the essence of lightning, as the essence of radiance. 
Anyone who venerates him in this way will become the essence of all these.” 


1 Q Thereupon, Balaki fell silent. “Is that all, Balaki?” asked Ajatasatru. “That’s 
X A all,” replied Balaki. Ajatasatru then said to him: “In vain have you draged 
me into a discussion with you by saying: ‘Let me tell you a formulation of truth 
{brahman).' It is the one who is the maker of the persons you have talked about, 
Balaki, whose handiwork they are, that one should seek to know.” 


359 



4.19 


The Early Upanisads 


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II ffrT ^IMld - ^| 3 f^3 q ; II 


360 




Kausltaki Upanisad 


4.20 


Balaki then went up to him carrying firewood in his hands and said: “Let me 
come to you as your pupil.” But Ajatasatru said to him: “I consider it a total reversal 
of the norm for a Brahmin to become a pupil of a Ksatriya. But come, I’ll see to it 
that you perceive it clearly.” Taking Balaki by the hand, he went out, and the two 
went near a sleeping man. Ajatasatru greeted the man in these words: “O Soma, 
great king dressed in white!” But he remained lying down. Then he prodded him 
with a stick. And immediately the man got up. 

Ajatasatru then asked: “Balaki, where was this person lying down just now? 
Where was he just now? And from where did he come just now?” Balaki did not 
know any of this. So, Ajatasatru told him: “Now, as to the questions regarding 
where this person was lying down just now, and where he was just now, and where 
he came from just now — there are in a person veins called Hita that extend from the 
heart to the pericardium. They are as fine as a hair split a thousandfold. They con- 
tain the finest fluids of orange, white, black, yellow, and red. When a person is 
asleep and sees no dreams, he remains within these veins. 

OO ^hen these become unified within this very breath — his speech then 
ZiU merges into it together with all the names; his sight merges into it together 
with all the visible appearances; his hearing merges into it together with all the 
sounds; and his mind merges into it together with all the thoughts. And when he 
awakens these scatter — as from a blazing fire sparks fly off in every direction, so 
from this self ( atman ) the vital functions {prana) fly off to their respective stations, 
and from the vital functions, the gods, and from the gods, the worlds. 

“This very breath, which is the self {atman) consisting of intelligence, pene- 
trates this bodily self up to the very hairs of the body, up to the very nails. Just as a 
razor within a case or a termite within a termite hill, so this self consisting of intelli- 
gence penetrates this bodily self up to the very hairs of the body, up to the very 
nails. To this self {atman) cling these other selves {atman), as to a chieftain, his own 
people. It is like this — just as a chieftain makes use of his own people, and his own 
people make themselves useful to a chieftain, so this self consisting of intelligence 
makes use of these other selves, and these other selves make themselves useful to 
this self. 

“For as long as Indra did not understand this self, the demons were prevailing 
over him. But when he came to know it, he smashed the demons, conquered them, 
and secured the supremacy, sovereignty, and lordship over all the gods. A man who 
knows this, likewise, wipes off all evils and secures the supremacy, sovereignty, 
and lordship over all beings — yes, he does, when a man knows this.” 

The end of the Kausltaki Upanisad. 


361 



This page intentionally left blank 



SIX 


Kena Upanisad 


The Kena Upanisad, also called the Talavakara Upanisad, belongs to the Talavakara 
or the Jaiminlya branch of the Samaveda. It appears as part of the JaiminTya 
Upanisad-Brahmana (4.18-21). At some point in time, it began to circulate as an 
independent Upanisad and came to be called by its first word, kena (“by whom”), a 
custom also seen in the case of the Isa Upanisad. The KeU falls roughly into two 
parts. The first, consisting of the first two Khandas, is in verse, except for a brief 
gloss at the beginning of Khanda 2, and presents brahman as essentially unknow- 
able and inexpressible. The second, consisting of the final two Khandas, is in prose 
and shows how the gods and their powers have proceeded from brahman, here 
identified as the creator of all. 


C ONTENTS 


1 

Brahman is beyond the senses and is the cause of their cognitive powers 

2 

Those who claim to know brahman do not know it 

3 

Brahman is the one who wins the victory for the gods 

4 

Tadvana : the upanisad with regard to brahman 


363 



ebHNfttMrl 

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SfFT: m ItfcT fST: I 
crr^rqf 

^T: gttofT^^r 3^1%7 II? II 

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xrgw^cf^£r sflrr: 

?R?TTFng^i^gcrr Rtfrr IRII 

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strict ffftfen^rr I 
ffcT ^T 1 g^TT ^ HW^INxf%t Ill'll 

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cft^r $rt ft ^ffewRT IIMI 

wwr =t inii^T 1 rpt 2 I 

6r^r str rt f=rfe ^rfeRTRJcT I Kl I 


364 



KHANDA 1 


By whom impelled, by whom compelled, 
does the mind soar forth? 

By whom enjoined does the breath, 
march on as the first? 

By whom is this speech impelled, 
with which people speak? 

And who is the god that joins 
the sight and hearing? 

2 That which is the hearing behind hearing, 

the thinking behind thinking, 
the speech behind speech, 
the sight behind sight — 

It is also the breathing behind breathing—- 
Freed completely from these, 
the wise become immortal, 
when they depart from this world. 

3 Sight does not reach there; 

neither does thinking or speech. 

We don’t know, we can’t perceive, 
how one would point it out. 

4 It is far different from what’s known. 

And it is farther than the unknown — 

so have we heard from men of old, 
who have explained it all to us. 

5 Which one cannot express by speech, 

by which speech itself is expressed — 

Learn that that alone is brahman , 
and not what they here venerate. 

6 Which one cannot grasp with one’s mind, 

by which, they say, the mind itself is grasped — 
Learn that that alone is brahman, 
and not what they here venerate. 


365 



1.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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1 4^444^ ^Tc^ntfer 

4f4i3T44R]|4t Rrfer: I 


366 



Kena Upanisad 


2.5 


7 Which one cannot see with one’s sight, 

by which one sees the sight itself — 

Learn that that alone is brahman, 
and not what they here venerate. 

8 Which one cannot hear with one’s hearing, 

by which hearing itself is heard — 

Learn that that alone is brahman, 
and not what they here venerate. 

9 Which one cannot breathe through breathing, 

by which breathing itself is drawn forth — 
Learn that that alone is brahman, 
and not what they here venerate. 


KHANDA 2 


“If you think ‘I know it well’— perhaps you do know ever so little the visible ap- 
pearance of brahman ; there is that part of it you know and there is the part which is 
among the gods. And so I think what you must do is to reflect on it, on that un- 
known part of it: 

2 I do not think 

that I know it well; 

But I know not 

that I do not know. 

Who of us knows that, 
he does know that; 

But he knows not, 

that he does not know. 

3 It’s envisioned by one who envisions it not; 

but one who envisions it knows it not. 

And those who perceive it perceive it not; 

but it’s perceived by those who perceive it not. 

4 When one awakens to know it, 

one envisions it, for then 
one gains the immortal state. 

One gains power by one’s self (at man). 

And by knowledge, the immortal state. 

5 If in this world a man comes to know it, 

to him belongs the real. 


367 



2.5 


The Early Upanisads 


NRm - 2 dkr: 

JTcWTl^T^rrr ddlN INI 

II ffcT %rf^T: II 


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3Tiwftffr ini 

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che# f^jrtcT^tfcT I 'cf^Nmr d^dtd 1 cr>r st?w dd[d l d 
dd dd NdfcT N^N fNlgJ Nd^N idl'd I N I 

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qdJ^dT iffddTdRT fNdddd dp) id I \R 1 1 


368 



Kena Upanisad 


4.2 


If in this world a man does not know it, 
great is his destruction. 

Discerning it among each and every being, 
the wise become immortal, 
when they depart from this world. 


KHANDA 3 


Brahman won the victory for the gods. Although it was won by brahman, the gods 
were jubilant at the victory, telling themselves: “Ours alone is this victory! Ours 
alone is this greatness!” 

2 Brahman read their minds and made itself visible to them. But they did not 
recognize it, as they wondered, “What is this strange apparition?” 

3 So they told Fire, “Jatavedas, find out what this strange apparition is.” He 
said, “Very well,” 4 and scurried to it. It asked him: “Who are you?” And he replied: 
“I? Why, I am Fire! I am Jatavedas!” 

5 “I see! And what sort of power do you have?” 

“I can burn up this whole world, yes, everything on earth!” 

6 So it placed a blade of grass in front of him and said, “Burn this.” He went at 
it at full speed but could not burn it. 

He returned forthwith and said: “I wasn’t able to find out what this strange ap- 
parition is.” 7 Then they told Wind, “Wind, find out what this strange apparition is.” 
He said, "Very well,” 8 and scurried to it. It asked him: “Who are you?” And he re- 
plied: “I? Why, I am Wind! I am Matarisvan!” 

9 “I see! And what sort of power do you have?” 

“I can carry away this whole world, yes, everything on earth!” 

l°So it placed a blade of grass in front of him and said, “Carry this away.” He 
went at it at full speed but could not carry it away. 

He returned forthwith and said: “I wasn’t able to find out what this strange ap- 
parition is.” 11 Then they told Indra, “Maghavan, find out what this strange appari- 
tion is.” He said, "Very well,” and scurried to it. But it vanished from his sight. 

12 Then, at that very spot in the sky, he came across a woman of great beauty, 
Uma, the daughter of Himavat. He asked her: “What was that strange apparition?” 


KHANDA 4 


“Brahman," she replied. “You are jubilant here at the victory won by brahman .” 
Then Indra immediately realized that it was brahman. 

2 That is why these gods, namely Fire, Wind, and Indra, somehow surpass the 
other gods, for they came into close contact with it. 


369 








Kena Upanisad 


4.9 


3 And that is why Indra somehow surpasses the other gods, for he both came 
into close contact with it and was the first to recognize it as brahman. 

4 Here is its rule of substitution: the cry “Ah!” when lightning has flashed, the 
cry “Ah!” when it made them blink — such it is with respect to the divine sphere. 
5 And with respect to the body ( atman ) — when something here comes to the mind 
somehow and through it the imagination suddenly recollects something. 

6 Now, its name is Tadvana, and it should be venerated as Tadvana. When 
someone knows it as such, all beings long for him. 

7 [Student: ] “Sir, teach me the hidden connection (upanisad).” 

[Teacher:] “You have been taught the hidden connection ( upanisad ) — 

indeed, we have taught you the hidden connection ( upanisad ) relating to brahman 
itself. 8 Of this hidden connection ( upanisad ) — austerity, self-control, and rites are 
the foundation, the Vedas are all the limbs, and truth is the abode.” 

9 When someone comes to know this hidden connection ( upanisad ) in this way, 
he undoubtedly wipes out evil and becomes firmly established in the heavenly 
world that is endless and invincible. 

The end of the Kena Upanisad. 


371 



SEVEN 


Katha Upanisad 


The Katha (also called Kathaka) Upanisad belongs at least formally to the Kathaka 
school of the Black Yajurveda. It is clear, however, that this Upanisad is a late work 
and did not form an integral part of the Brahmana of that school. Its relationship to 
that school, however, is established by the episode of Naciketas and Death (see KU 
1. 1-4 n.). This episode (together with other sections dealing with the establishment 
of various ritual fires), in all likelihood, was originally part of the Kathaka 
Brahmana, although it is now found in the Taittirlya Brahmana (3.11.8.1-6) and not 
in the Kathaka (for a discussion, see Witzel 1977). 

In some manuscripts the KaU is divided into two sections, the first comprising 
the first three Vallls and the second, the last three. The text as we have it clearly 
does not form a coherent and unified whole. The first two Vallls, containing the 
dialogue between Naciketas and Yama, provide the old context of the Upanisad, 
which seeks to give an Upanisadic twist to the three wishes of Naciketas. The last 
Vallls, especially 4-6 with the repetitive refrain “So, indeed, is that,” are probably 
an appendix superimposed on that examination of the three wishes. Witzel (1977) 
has shown that the current KaU was at first probably the second part of a larger 
Upanisad of the Kathakas, an Upanisad that had the Katha-Slksa-Upanisad (see 
Witzel 1979 and my introduction to the TU) as its first part. 

The KaU is a challenging text for any translator. It contains several difficult and 
unique terms whose meanings are far from clear; its thought is often convoluted and 
its expressions curt and elliptic; and it has been subject to textual corruptions. Many 
scholars have attempted to eliminate accretions and to restore the “original” text of 
the KaU (e.g., Weller 1953); the deep disagreements among scholars as to which 
verses are later interpolations point to the difficulties inherent in such reconstruc- 
tions, which are often tainted by the linguistic and philosophical biases of each 
scholar. 


372 



Katha Upanisad 


C ONTENTS 


1 


Encounter between Naciketas and Death 

9-19 Death grants Naciketas three wishes 

20-29 The third wish of Naciketas: condition after death 

2 


1-1 1 Transient joys are to be abandoned 
12-25 Discourse on the self 
3 


The path of a wise man: curbing of the senses 

4-6 


Discourse on the self and brahman 


373 



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374 



VALLI 1 


Usan, the son of Vajasravas, once gave away all his possessions. He had a son 
named Naciketas. 2 Young as he was, faith took hold of him while the cows pre- 
sented as sacrificial gifts were being led away, and he reflected: 

3 “They’ve drunk all their water, eaten all their fodder, 

They have been milked dry, they are totally barren — 

‘Joyless’ are those worlds called, 
to which a man goes 
who gives them as gifts.” 

4 So he asked his father: “Father, to whom will you give me?” He repeated it 
for a second time, and again for a third time. His father yelled at him: “I’ll give you 
to Death!” 

[naciketas reflects.] 5 1 go as the very first of many. 

I go as the middlemost of many. 

What’s it that Yama must do. 

That he will do with me today? 

[A voice] 6 Look ahead! See how they have gone, 

those who have gone before us! 

Look back! So will they go, 
those who will come after us. 

A mortal man ripens like grain, 

And like grain he is bom again. 

7 A Brahmin guest enters a house 

as the fire in all men. 

Bring water, O Vaivasvata, 
that is how they appease him. 

8 Hopes and expectations, fellowship and goodwill, 

Children and livestock, rites and gifts — 

all these a Brahmin wrests from the foolish man, 
in whose house he resides without any food. 

[death] 9 Three nights, O Brahmin, you stayed in my house, 

a guest worthy of homage, without any food; 

Three wishes, therefore, deign to make in return. 


375 



1.9 


The Early Upanisads 


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376 



Katha Upanisad 


1.17 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


[NARRATOR] 


[DEATH] 


So homage to you, O Brahmin! 

And may I fare well! 

10 That with his temper cooled, his anger subdued, 

Gautama, O Death, be to me well-disposed. 

That he greet me with joy, when by you I’m dismissed — 
this is the first of my three wishes. 

1 1 He’ 11 be affable in the future, just as before; 

Auddalaka Aruni, I have dismissed you. 

He’ll have restful nights, his anger subdued, 
seeing you released from the jaws of Death. 

12 In the world of heaven there is no fear; 

there one has no fear of old age or you. 

Transcending both these — both hunger and thirst, 
beyond all sorrows, one rejoices in heaven. 

13 You, O Death, are studying, 

the fire-altar that leads to heaven; 

Explain that to me, a man who has faith; 

People who are in heaven enjoy the immortal state — 

It is this I choose with my second wish. 

14 1 shall explain to you — 

and heed this teaching of mine, 

O Naciketas, you who understand — 
the fire-altar that leads to heaven, 
to the attainment of an endless world, 
and is its very foundation. 

Know that it lies hidden. 

In the cave of the heart. 

15 He described to him that fire-altar — 

the beginning of the world — 

What type the bricks, how many; and how they are to be laid; 

and he repeated it exactly as described. 

Delighted at him, then. Death said to him again; 

16 Well-pleased, the large-hearted one said to him: 

Here I grant you another wish today. 

This fire-altar will bear your very name. 

Take also this glittering disk of gold. 

17 This is a three-Naciketa man — 

Uniting with the three, performing the triple rite, 
he crosses over birth and death. 

Perceiving the brahman that is being born, 
as the god who is to be adored, 


377 



1.17 


The Early Upanisads 


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378 



Katha Upanisad 


1.25 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


recognizing this disk of gold to be that, 
he attains unending peace. 

18 This is a three-Naciketa man — - 

Knowing these three, and, with that knowledge. 
Piling the altar of Naciketas, 

he shoves aside the fetters of death before him, 
passes beyond sorrow, 
and rejoices in heaven. 

19 This, Naciketas, is your fire that leads to heaven, 

which you chose with your second wish. 
People will proclaim this your very own fire. 
Choose your third wish, O Naciketas. 


20 There is this doubt about a man who is dead. 

“He exists,” say some, others, “He exists not.” 

1 want to know this, so please teach me. 

This is the third of my three wishes. 

21 As to this even the gods of old had doubts, 

for it’s hard to understand, it’s a subtle doctrine. 
Make, Naciketas, another wish. 

Do not press me! Release me from this. 

22 As to this, we’re told, even the gods had doubts; 

and you say, O Death, it’s hard to understand. 

But another like you I can’t find to explain it; 
and there’s no other wish that is equal to it. 

23 Choose sons and grandsons who’d live a hundred years! 
Plenty of livestock and elephants, horses and gold! 
Choose as your domain a wide expanse of earth! 

And you yourself live as many autumns as you wish! 

24 And if you would think this is an equal wish — 

You may choose wealth together with a long life; 
Achieve prominence, Naciketas, in this wide world; 

And I will make you enjoy your desires at will, 

25 You may ask freely for all those desires, 

hard to obtain in this mortal world; 

Look at these lovely girls, with chariots and lutes, 
girls of this sort are unobtainable by men — 


379 



1.25 


The Early Upanisads 


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380 



Katha Upanisad 


2.3 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


I’ll give them to you; you’ll have them wait on you; 
but about death don’t ask me, Naciketas. 

26 Since the passing days of a mortal, O Death, 

sap here the energy of all the senses; 

And even a full life is but a trifle; 

so keep your horses, your songs and dances! 

27 With wealth you cannot make a man content; 

Will we get to keep wealth, when we have seen you? 
And we get to live only as long as you will allow! 

So, this alone is the wish that I’d like to choose. 

28 What mortal man with insight, 
who has met those that do not die or grow old, 
himself growing old in this wretched and lowly place, 
looking at its beauties, its pleasures and joys, 
would delight in a long life? 

29 The point on which they have great doubts — 
what happens at that great transit — 
tell me that, O Death! 

This is my wish, probing the mystery deep. 

Naciketas wishes for nothing 
other than that. 


VALLl 2 


The good is one thing, the gratifying is quite another; 
their goals are different, both bind a man. 

Good things await him who picks the good; 

by choosing the gratifying, one misses one’s goal. 

2 Both the good and the gratifying 
present themselves to a man; 

The wise assess them, note their difference; 
and choose the good over the gratifying; 

But the fool chooses the gratifying 
rather than what is beneficial. 

3 You have looked at and rejected, Naciketas, 

things people desire, lovely and lovely to look at; 

This disk of gold, where many a man founders, 
you have not accepted as a thing of wealth. 


381 



2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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382 



Katha Upanisad 


2.11 


[NACIKETAS] 


[DEATH] 


4 Far apart and widely different are these two: 

ignorance and what’s known as knowledge. 

I take Naciketas as one yearning for knowledge; 
the many desires do not confound you. 

5 Wallowing in ignorance, but calling themselves wise, 
Thinking themselves learned, the fools go around, 

staggering about like a group of blind men, 
led by a man who is himself blind. 

6 This transit lies hidden from a careless fool, 

who is deluded by the delusion of wealth. 

Thinking “This is the world; there is no other,” 
he falls into my power again and again. 

7 Many do not get to hear of that transit; 

and even when they hear, 
many don’t comprehend it. 

Rare is the man who teaches it, 
lucky is the man who grasps it; 

Rare is the man who knows it, 
lucky is the man who’s taught it. 

8 Though one may think a lot, it is difficult to grasp, 

when it is taught by an inferior man. 

Yet one cannot gain access to it, 
unless someone else teaches it. 

For it is smaller than the size of an atom, 
a thing beyond the realm of reason. 

9 One can’t grasp this notion by argumentation; 

Yet it’s easy to grasp when taught by another. 

You’re truly steadfast, dear boy, 
you have grasped it! 

Would that we have, Naciketas, 
one like you to question us! 

10 What you call a treasure, I know to be transient; 

for by fleeting things one cannot gain the perennial. 
Therefore I’ve built the fire-altar of Naciketas, 
and by things eternal I have gained the eternal. 

11 Satisfying desires is the foundation of the world; 
Uninterrupted rites bring ultimate security; 

Great and widespread praise is the foundation — 

these you have seen, wise Naciketas, 
and having seen, firmly rejected. 


383 



2.12 


The Early Upanisads 


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384 



Katha Upanisad 


2.19 


12 The primeval one who is hard to perceive, 

wrapped in mystery, hidden in the cave, 
residing within the impenetrable depth — 

Regarding him as god, an insight 
gained by inner contemplation, 
both sorrow and joy the wise abandon. 

13 When a mortal has heard it, understood it; 

when he has drawn it out, 

and grasped this subtle point of doctrine; 

He rejoices, for he has found 

something in which he could rejoice. 

To him I consider my house 
to be open, Naciketas. 

[naciketas?] 14 Tell me what you see as — - 

Different from the right doctrine and from the wrong; 
Different from what’s done here and what’s left undone; 
Different from what has been and what’s yet to be. 

[death?] 15 The word that all the Vedas disclose; 

The word that all austerities proclaim; 

Seeking which people live student lives; 

That word now I will tell you in brief — 

ItisOM! 

16 For this alone is the syllable that’s brahmanl 
For this alone is the syllable that’s supreme! 

When, indeed, one knows this syllable, 

he obtains his every wish. 

17 This is the support that’s best! 

This is the support supreme! 

And when one knows this support, 
he rejoices in brahman’s world. 

[death] 18 The wise one — 

he is not born, he does not die; 
he has not come from anywhere; 
he has not become anyone. 

He is unborn and eternal, primeval and everlasting. 

And he is not killed, when the body is killed. 

[The dialogue between Naciketas and Death appears to end here.] 

19 If the killer thinks that he kills; 

If the killed thinks that he is killed; 

Both of them fail to understand. 

He neither kills, nor is he killed. 


385 



2.20 


The Early Upanisads 


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386 



Katha Upanisad 


3.1 


20 Finer than the finest, larger than the largest, 

is the self ( atinan ) that lies here hidden 
in the heart of a living being. 

Without desires and free from sorrow, 
a man perceives by the creator’s grace 
the grandeur of the self. 

21 Sitting down, he roams afar. 

Lying down, he goes everywhere. 

The god ceaselessly exulting — 

Who, besides me, is able to know? 

22 When he perceives this immense, all-pervading self, 
as bodiless within bodies, 

as stable within unstable beings — 

A wise man ceases to grieve. 

23 This self cannot be grasped, 

by teachings or by intelligence, 
or even by great learning. 

Only the man he chooses can grasp him, 
whose body this self chooses as his own. 

24 Not a man who has not quit his evil ways; 

Nor a man who is not calm or composed; 

Nor even a man who is without a tranquil mind; 
Could ever secure it by his mere wit. 

25 For whom the Brahmin and the Ksatriya 
are both like a dish of boiled rice; 

and death is like the sprinkled sauce; 

Who truly knows where he is? 


VALLI 3 


Knowers of brahman, men with five fires, 
and with the three fire-altars of Naciketas, 
They call these two “Shadow” and “Light,” 
the two who have entered — 

the one into the cave of the heart, 
the other into the highest region beyond, 
both drinking the truth 

in the world of rites rightly performed. 


387 



3.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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388 



Katha Upanisad 


3.11 


2 May we master the fire-altar of Naciketas, 

a dike 

for those who have sacrificed; 
the imperishable, the highest brahman, 
the farther shore 

for those who wish to cross the danger. 

3 Know the self as a rider in a chariot, 

and the body, as simply the chariot. 

Know the intellect as the charioteer, 
and the mind, as simply the reins. 

4 The senses, they say, are the horses, 

and sense objects are the paths around them; 

He who is linked to the body ( atman ), senses, and mind, 
the wise proclaim as the one who enjoys. 

5 When a man lacks understanding, 

and his mind is never controlled; 

His senses do not obey him, 
as bad horses, a charioteer. 

6 But when a man has understanding, 

and his mind is ever controlled; 

His senses do obey him, 

as good horses, a charioteer. 

7 When a man lacks understanding, 

is unmindful and always impure; 

He does not reach that final step, 
but gets on the round of rebirth. 

8 But when a man has understanding, 

is mindful and always pure; 

He does reach that final step, 

from which he is not reborn again. 

9 When a man’s mind is his reins, 

intellect, his charioteer; 

He reaches the end of the road, 
that highest step of Visnu. 

10 Higher than the senses are their objects; 

Higher than sense objects is the mind; 

Higher than the mind is the intellect; 

Higher than the intellect is the immense self; 

11 Higher than the immense self is the unmanifest; 

Higher than the unmanifest is the person; 


389 



3.11 


The Early Upanisads 


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3w f^rr xr £rm4t 9f§r^' h {\ u ?\ I mi I 

*r p tot pi prarrf^ I 

TTcf: OT cf^FFOTTT afOTTcT 1 

d^MOTII'M OT'Hd ffcT ll?^9l! 

ll ^frT gcfrrr n 


OTifPr otPt OTjTcOTjfpr 

OTRTcqW T^tcT TRTOTOTT I 
Ti^T: TOTTTOTR%^ 

3T I pT ^ ^ < p r=l \h -<*<H 1 1? 1 1 

TOTT: ^IHHH'Mpd Tlc5OT 

•O *S 

^ pMf^T PfOTTOT trot I 

W sftTT OTJcTOT PlRc=ll 

OTOTOTTfferT T otPotT IRII 

vTJ O 


390 



Katha Upanisad 


4.2 


Higher than the person there’s nothing at all. 

That is the goal, that’s the highest state. 

12 Hidden in all the beings, 

this self is not visibly displayed. 

Yet, people of keen vision see him, 
with eminent and sharp minds. 

13 A wise man should curb his speech and mind, 

control them within the intelligent self; 

He should control intelligence within the immense self, 
and the latter, within the tranquil self. 

14 Arise! Awake! Pay attention, 

when you’ve obtained your wishes! 

A razor’s sharp edge is hard to cross — 

that, poets say, is the difficulty of the path. 

15 It has no sound or touch, 

no appearance, taste, or smell; 

It is without beginning or end, 
undecaying and eternal; 

When a man perceives it, 

fixed and beyond the immense, 

He is freed from the jaws of death. 

16 The wise man who hears or tells 
the tale of Naciketas, 

an ancient tale told by Death, 
will rejoice in brahman’s world. 

17 If a man, pure and devout, proclaims this great secret 
in a gathering of Brahmins, 

or during a meal for the dead, 
it will lead him to eternal life! 


VALLl 4 


The Self-existent One pierced the apertures outward, 
therefore, one looks out, and not into oneself. 

A certain wise man in search of immortality, 
turned his sight inward and saw the self within. 

2 Fools pursue outward desires, 

and enter the trap of death spread wide. 

But the wise know what constitutes the immortal, 
and in unstable things here do not seek the stable. 


391 



4.3 


The Early Upanisads 


W %^TFT I 

f^STR ifcf Rraq ^RRl^ri 1 1 

t^fcRT 2 INI 

TO t TOrRTOT N# 1 ^HlHM^feT I 

•o 

Rnra f^nraiK w efRr r 5fraRr I |v 1 1 

w rat w? ^ arrarat ^TO^TTOT I 
f?ITT q?nTTO3T T cfcfr I! 

TT^t era INI 

ra q# ctwt TOnr^r: 1 q^rararar I 

C\ C\ 

3ff fcTTOT 2 4t ^MlW 3 1 1 

era I K 1 1 

W qFPT ^rafcT 1 3lf^1cltWe1Wifl 2 I 
pt qRrra fefroff 3 ra ^fMrora 1 1 

q,eil ?ra I Iv9 1 1 

3Rratf^i%cft raef^ra 

rat g?rat qfMtftn I 
R4R=i f^rafr raT^jrat^rra 
^R^fR^H'RRrdtr: 1 II 

Nft rar INI 

ReRjRfeT ^41 3Tra RT ^ R^feT I 
cf ^r: sf srWerrraf rararfer ra^r 1 1 

Nff ara INI 

raNf eNpr qqw cNNet l 

jjrafr: ra ^raqrfer q w raNr qraRr 1 1 ? 0 


392 



Katha Upanisacl 


4.10 


3 Appearance and taste, smell and sounds, 

touches and sexual acts — 

That by which one experiences these, 
by the same one understands — 
what then is here left behind? 

So, indeed, is that! 

4 That by which one perceives both 

the states of sleep and of being awake; 
Knowing that it’s the immense, all-pervading self, 
a wise man does not grieve. 

5 When a man perceives close at hand 

this living, honey-eating self, 

The lord of what was and what will be — 
it does not seek to hide from him. 

So, indeed, is that! 

6 He who was born before heat, 

who before the waters was born, 
who has seen through living beings — 

Entering the cave of the heart, 

[one sees] him abiding there. 

So, indeed, is that! 

7 She who comes into being with breath, 

Aditi, who embodies divinity, 
who was born through living beings — 
Entering the cave of the heart, 

[one sees] her abiding there. 

So, indeed, is that! 

8 Jatavedas is hidden within the two fire-drills, 

fostered, as a fetus by women with child; 

With offering should men as they awake, 
worship the fire each and every day. 

So, indeed, is that! 

9 From which the sun rises, 

and into which it sets; 

In it are fixed all the gods; 

beyond it no one can ever pass. 

So, indeed, is that! 

10 Whatever is down here, the same is over there; 

and what is over there is replicated down here. 
From death to death he goes, who sees 
here any kind of diversity. 


393 



4.11 


The Early Upanisads 


FFrrfer f^Fr I 

W ^ Wcf FT^TfcT II? ? II 

3Tfwnw: gwr irsr 3no>#r fMcr I 
^rsiFr t cicfr f%jFT?r II 


I^ltcFT ll?^ll 

3TfWTFT: gWT ^frfcffe' Sf^W: 1 I 
§5TrT ¥r?TT[oEr^r t^Tgr wz w 2 II 

cRT ll?3ll 


gif- ( t4% I 

f^jwfrr II ?v| | 

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^ g^rwRcr snwr *ra% ll?MI 

H ^r ^pff n 


3^^W^T5|WWtcRr: I 
igW T $frwfcT fojjaicr 1 1 


fTcf 1 1 ? 1 1 


fF: 

artcrr I 

Sf^TT j FM I 


394 


siR^ir w ffcT 1 1^ 1 1 



Katha Upanisad 


5.2 


* 1 With your mind alone you must understand it — 
there is here no diversity at all! 

From death to death he goes, who sees 
here any kind of diversity. 

12 A person the size of a thumb 

resides within the body (atman)\ 

The lord of what was and what will be — 
from him he does not hide himself. 


So, indeed, is that! 

13 The person the size of a thumb 

is like a fire free of smoke; 

The lord of what was and what will be; 
the same today and tomorrow. 

So, indeed, is that! 

14 As the rain that falls on rugged terrain, 

runs hither and thither along the mountain slopes; 
So a man who regards the laws as distinct, 
runs hither and thither after those very laws. 

15 As pure water poured into pure water 

becomes the very same; 

So does the self of a discerning sage 
become, O Gautama. 


VALLI 5 


The unborn one, free of crooked thoughts, 
has a fort with eleven gates; 

One who attends to it will not grieve, 
but, freed from it, he will be set free. 


So, indeed, is that! 

2 The goose seated in the light, the Vasu seated in the sky; 
The Hotr seated at the altar, the guest seated in the house; 
Seated in men, seated in the wide expanse. 

Seated in the truth, seated in heaven; 

Born from water, born from cows. 

Born from the truth, born from rocks; 

The great truth! 


395 



5.3 


The Early Upanisads 


asef snf y^Jiwfcr I 

W% ^3W?r I Mil 


3p£T 5Tfte ? TFT‘ ^f^T: I 

qf^rw-M II 

i^t ?Tcf 11*11 


=T 5tMt TTCFPr PpP f 'jfl'ctfrl 5RPT I 
fcT^T cf 5 fk% IIM 


£PT cT ft 1 JMWft" JfT sffT 'FRTrTW I 
w ^r jrdt rtw 3TTofrr ppfcr ^ftcnr I Ml I 


5Tfkc^nr ^r: I 

PPFFnf PPPSTcnT I Ml I 

O O -ON 

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cT^cT |[17 sf^T d^Tfcfg^- I 
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ITdf cTcf I Ml I 

srfMtcpr ppt srf^Mr 

o 

RfcT^tr w 1 

C\ 

IT^PW P^^PTOrfTT 

PfcT^fr IKII 


ppp^cpr ppt 

-o o 

mpt qRrMt 1 

^P^cPTT 'Ff^^cll'vKlc'HI' 

qf^TT ll?o|l 


gpf PPT p 4 c 5T^FT P?gT 

T 1 I 


396 



Katha Upanisad 


5.11 


3 The out-breath he conducts upward, 

the in-breath he drives backward; 

All the gods worship him, 

the Dwarf seated in the middle. 

4 When this embodied self dwelling in the body 

comes unglued and is freed from the body — 
what then is here left behind? 


So, indeed, is that! 

5 Not by the out-breath, not by the in-breath; 

does any mortal live; 

By another do people live, on which those two depend. 

6 Come, I’ll tell you this secret and eternal 

formulation of truth ( brahman ); 

And what happens to the self ( atman ), Gautama, 
when it encounters death. 

7 Some enter a womb by which 

an embodied self obtains a body, 

Others pass into a stationary thing — 
according to what they have done, 
according to what they have learned. 

8 This person, creating every desire, 

who lies awake within those who sleep; 

That alone is the Pure! That is brahmanl 
That alone is called the Immortal! 

On it all the worlds rest; 

beyond it no one can ever pass. 

So, indeed, is that! 

9 As the single fire, entering living beings, 

adapts its appearance to match that of each; 

So the single self within every being, 

adapts its appearance to match that of each, 
yet remains quite distinct. 

10 As the single wind, entering living beings, 

adapts its appearance to match that of each; 

So the single self within every being, 

adapts its appearance to match that of each, 
yet remains quite distinct. 

11 As the sun, the eye of the whole world, 

is not stained by visual faults external to it; 


397 



5.11 


The Early Upanisads 


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T fcirciff c5t^:#T ^TTW: 1 1 ? ? 1 1 

tjcpt" Sf# ^T^cTRRTr^ 

o^r ^q- wfsrr *r: ^frfcr I 
rmicHW ^sjwrPcT sfkw 

fmtg# 5ii^^rcr^w 1 1 nit 

tcR^&cTTPTTfr 

^rf zfr 2 furrier c^r-ft I 
cnrRW ^sjwrf^r gftw 

eftt 5Tlf^T: 5TPHcfr 3'cT^W 1 1 ? 3 1 1 

crtcT^lcr qr4 2 §w I 

^r t cf^n^kr f^r mfer furrier 4 ^t 1 1 ? v 1 1 

T m iTTfeT =T 

^TT f^feft 1 *nf^T ^cfrsqrff^: I 
eFT^r iTFcPTJ mfeT ?T# 

cTFT 5TRTT ?T^f^ f^TTfeT ll?Kll 

l! ^ II 


3T£^gc5t ar^I^W 1 IT^tS’^T^T: SRTeFT I 
cT^r erf ^Tfcf'g^el I 
dRtf$=pr: f^rai: elf 'dle^feT ^FT 1 1 


felt cTcf II? II 


zrf^ 1 f^T SfJieH'f RFT C^feT f^jTeFT I 

Wf3RT 5T feT^feTT^ ^FT^rT 11^1 1 


398 



Katha Upanisacl 


6.2 


So the single self within every being, 

is not stained by the suffering of the world, 
being quite distinct from it. 

12 The one controller, the self within every being, 

who makes manifold his single appearance; 

The wise who perceive him as abiding within themselves, 
they alone, not others, enjoy eternal happiness. 

13 The changeless, among the changing, 

the intelligent, among intelligent beings, 

the one, who dispenses desires among the many; 

The wise who perceive him within themselves; 
they alone, not others, enjoy unending peace. 

14 “This is that” — so they think, although 

the highest bliss can’t be described. 

But how should I perceive it? 

Does it shine? 

Or does it radiate? 

15 There the sun does not shine, 

nor the moon and stars; 

There lightning does not shine, 

of this common fire need we speak! 

Him alone, as he shines, do all things reflect; 
this whole world radiates with his light. 


VALLl 6 


Its roots above, its branches below, 
this is the eternal banyan tree. 

That alone is the Bright! That is brahmanl 
That alone is called the Immortal! 

On it all the worlds rest; 

beyond it no one can ever pass. 


So, indeed, is that! 

2 All that is here, whatever that lives, 

having arisen, moves within the breath; 
Great is the fear, the bolt is raised up; 
those who know it become immortal. 


399 



6.3 


The Early Upanisads 


Wfrrfcf 1 I 

wrf^r qo^: I R 1 1 

W 5rRF5lftTPT fY$FT: I 

o 

cTcT: stCU^pt 2 I ivi I 

crsncJ#r 

W FfY cFIT I 

wqj qfYr ^ 

cTCT JRrf# tSWIdHiitf^T IlKlI 

ff^TRir cf^fc^zrRrFWT ^ FcT I 

iT??r sfkY f # 3% I Kll 

#^r«r: <rt mr wn Ff^rgrpw l 
?TWF^r 1H1W I Ml 

^'sq'fbi^' tc g^Yr’ smq^Ysfef i3°r ^ I 
Y fnw gwr ^r ^i^fcr I Ml 

■T fcTFjfY ?wr 

t FfgqT q^rfc r I 

f^T Pkr ^FraT^qfFY 

f ikii 

w q^rmfci^Y ^imiPi ^ftot wg I 

ffe^T T fYt^fcT 1 cTRTf : qW ^rfcPT 1 1 ? ° 1 1 

dt YrntYfY I 

mw^mzj wf^ 1 YYfr % qF^i^r4t 1 1 ? ? 1 1 


400 



Katha Upanisad 


6.11 


3 The fear of it makes the fire burn; 

The fear of it makes the sun shine; 

The fear of it makes them run — 

Indra and Wind, 
and Death, the fifth. 

4 If one were able to realize it here, 

before his body dissolves; 

It will serve him to obtain a body 
within the created worlds. 

5 As in a mirror, so in the body ( atman ); 

As in a dream, so in the fathers’ world; 

As in water a thing becomes somewhat visible, 
so in the Gandharva world; 

Somewhat as in shadows and light, 
so in brahman's world. 

6 The separate nature of the senses; 

Their rise and fall as they come 
Separately into being — 

when a wise man knows this, 
he does not grieve. 

7 Higher than the senses is the mind; 

Higher than the mind is the essence; 

Higher than the essence is the immense self; 
Higher than the immense is the unmanifest. 

8 Higher than the unmanifest is the person, 

pervading all and without any marks. 
Knowing him, a man is freed, 
and attains immortality. 

9 His appearance is beyond the range of sight; 

no one can see him with his sight; 

With the heart, with insight, with thought, 
has he been contemplated — 

Those who know this become immortal. 

to When the five perceptions are stilled, 
together with the mind, 

And not even reason bestirs itself; 
they call it the highest state. 

1 1 When senses are firmly reined in, 
that is Yoga, so people think. 

From distractions a man is then free, 
for Yoga is the coming-into-being, 
as well as the ceasing-to-be. 


401 



6.12 


The Early Upanisads 


% =r wm mg - 5 twt =r wgwr I 

3T??ftfcr IWTS^ 'd^Mei^rcr 1 1 HI I 

3i<xHc^^Htf<ay6t| ctxd^HN : Wtfl^fcl 1 1 ? ^ 1 1 

w ef ^f(t ^rsw ff^ fawn \ 

am- TR^sgcfr vrawrw 1 §ffr wpgfr 1 1 ?vi I 

W Rl^Rf f^R% JFm: I 

3r?T ^WsgcTT 1 1 HI I 

5RT xT 

I 

fccf r ^c^rof ^cjpd 1 1 H 1 1 

a^WTTT: g^^RJrfTT 

H^T' 5RRT f^T 1 I 

w t3w I 

ct f%^p^rgct 

cT fen^^TgdfjrfrT 1 1 ? V9 1 1 

gcgmrw ^%cfrs^ 

Rill^di XT fdFPT l 

srfTMrr 

3^3%T Jft f^OTTfR^ 2 I I ? ci 1 1 

II ffcT W& ^ II 
II <^frT II 


402 



Katha Upanisad 


6.18 


12 Not by speech, not by the mind, 

not by sight can he be grasped. 

How else can that be perceived, 
other than by saying “He is!” 

13 In just two ways can he be perceived: 

by saying that “He is.” 
by affirming he’s the real. 

To one who perceives him as “He is.” 
it becomes clear that he is real. 

14 When they are all banished, 

those desires lurking in one’s heart; 

Then a mortal becomes immortal, 
and attains brahman in this world. 

15 When the knots are all cut, 

that bind one’s heart on earth; 

Then a mortal becomes immortal — 

For such is the teaching. 

16 One hundred and one, the veins of the heart. 

One of them runs up to the crown of the head. 

Going up by it, he reaches the immortal. 

The rest, in their ascent, spread out in all directions. 

17 A person the size of a thumb in the body ( atman ), 

always resides within the hearts of men; 

One should draw him out of the body with determination, 
like a reed from the grass sheath; 

One should know him 
as immortal and bright. 

One should know him 
as immortal and bright. 

18 Then, after Naciketas received this body of knowledge, 

and the entire set of yogic rules taught by Death, 

He attained brahman; he became free from aging and death; 
so will others who know this teaching about the self. 

The end of the Katha Upanisad. 


403 



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EIGHT 


Isa Upanisad 


The Isa Upanisad (also called “Isavasya Upanisad”) forms the fortieth chapter of the 
Vajasaneyi Samhita of the White Yajurveda. Just like the Kena Upanisad, the IU 
gets its name from its first word, Isa (“by the Lord”). It is the only Upanisad that 
forms an integral part of a vedic Samhita and is, therefore, also known as the 
“Samhita Upanisad.” Just like the BU, the IU has been preserved in two recensions, 
the Madhyandina and the Kanva. As a text of the White Yajurveda, the IU shows 
many similarities in thought and expressions with the BU. Nevertheless, the doc- 
trines and ideas of the IU show that this document belongs broadly to the time and 
milieu that produced other similar texts with a strong theistic and devotional ten- 
dency, such as the SU, MuU, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the KaU. The IU is 
placed first in all the indigenous collections of Upanisads. 


405 



fsjrcfa'-H 


ffr frrt m ^sr: <rft ferepr^ 1 1 ? 1 1 

cgcf?r%ir 'cbi-iff^i Mf^d fft: I 

R/t c^r FRT^c tefer 2 T CP# fc^fcT qf 3 ll^ll 

arg^it 1 fft cf c5t^r 3F?Kr cFraTffrr: I 
cTR^ 5lFTTpFr^5f^T 2 % ^ WFfdT SRT: I U II 

3^^- trft ^fWr 
4^1 anyc^Md 1 I 

“ O c\ % 

deSf^cfl'S^HFlfcl fcPS$cf 

crf&sFfr wf^gT sorter nvii 

d^lrl d&v-fri d&Pd4? I 

^ 2 

dq^FT Fnfer df d^FIIFi 3TfRT: IlHlI 

?TFJ F^ff^T ^jcTF^TcH ?H H M F-ffcT 1 I 

dlrHT-t cTcfr d~ 11^1 1 

FRiRFrpr 1 I 

cTT Rtf: W: 5Tt^ Ud^fl-^dd: 1 1^1 1 

F q^FT^RTWTWPT 1 

•o "V 

3TFni%f f^WRf^gTT I 
d/MdPi! ql^R: FFFgT 

qr^Tcnsr^^I^d^ 2 fFrmr: lie; 1 1 

3RT rPCT: Rf^lf^T I 

d?fr w ^r cT mr f 3 - 14^idT mr. IK 11 


406 



This whole world is to be dwelt in by the Lord, 
whatever living being there is in the world. 

So you should eat what has been abandoned; 
and do not covet anyone’s wealth. 

2 Just performing works in this world, 

you should desire to live your hundred years. 

Thus, and not otherwise, in fact, 
does work not smear off on you. 

3 “Demonic” are those worlds called, 

in blind darkness they are cloaked; 

Into them after death they go, 

all those people who kill the self. 

4 Although not moving, the one is swifter than the mind; 

the gods cannot catch it, as it speeds on in front. 
Standing, it outpaces others who run; 
within it Matarisvan places the waters. 

5 It moves — yet it does not move! 

It’s far away— yet it is near at hand! 

It is within this whole world — yet 
it’s also outside this whole world. 

6 When a man sees all beings 

within his very self, 

and his self within all beings, 

It will not seek to hide from him. 

2 When in the self of a discerning man, 
his very self has become all beings, 

What bewilderment, what sorrow can there be, 
regarding that self of him who sees this oneness. 

8 He has reached the seed — without body or wound, 

without sinews, pure, not riddled by evil. 
Self-existent and all-encompassing, 
the wise sage has dispensed objects 
through endless years. 

9 Into blind darkness they enter, 

people who worship ignorance; 

And into still blinder darkness, 
people who delight in learning. 


407 



10 


The Early Upanisads 


to gwr toto # totwrto tl ? o 1 1 

f^W totof V toto# Ff I 
tow to toft ftongrwg# 1 1 ? ? 1 1 


w m: totor I 

to w w ft to f ^ ft-gw w: 1 1 n II 


wtof: ?toT^T^TftoraTcf I 
to toto ft totorfto 1 1 ? ^ 1 1 


?rto ^ to# w hf I 

to n W># iltoll 


ftotor qtor wwriftfftft gwr I 
cito 1 g^?N'ifg wqtoftr tor H?MI 


^ to ^ 3nrq ^ r 
c^f toftrrgF to I 
to - to cfft 

qtoft towto gw: ftrstoftr MUM 


ciigtoc^gtoPt wt toto I 
as tor to to ^ tot 2 w to ^ 1 1 


408 



Isa Upanisad 


17 


10 It’s far different from knowledge, they say, 

Different also from ignorance, we’re told — 
so have we heard from wise men, 
who have explained it to us. 

1 1 Knowledge and ignorance — 

a man who knows them both together, 

Passes beyond death by ignorance, 

and by knowledge attains immortality. 

12 Into blind darkness they enter, 

people who worship nonbecoming; 

And into still blinder darkness, 
people who delight in becoming. 

Bit’s far different from coming-into-being, they say, 
Different also from not coming-into-being, we’re told — 
so have we heard from wise men, 
who have explained it all to us. 

14 The becoming and the destruction — 

a man who knows them both together; 

Passes beyond death by the destruction, 
and by the becoming attains immortality. 

15 The face of truth is covered 
with a golden dish. 

Open it, O Pusan, for me, 
a man faithful to the truth. 

Open it, O Pusan, for me to see. 

160 Pusan, sole seer! 

Yama! Sun! Son of Prajapati! 

Spread out your rays! 

Draw in your light! 

I see your fairest form. 

That person up there, 

I am he! 

12 The never-resting is the wind, 
the immortal! 

Ashes are this body’s lot. 

OM! 

Mind, remember the deed! 

Remember! 

Mind, remember the deed! 

Remember! 


409 



18 


The Early Upanisads 


3Tfr gW WTR 

writer f^gpr I 

srftw $ w-5^ f^T 1 ll?^l 

<=\ 

i! ffcr f^mfwr li 


410 



Isa Upanisad 


18 


18 O Fire, you know all coverings; 

O god, lead us to riches, 
along an easy path. 

Keep the sin that angers, 
far away from us; 

And the highest song of praise, 
we shall offer to you! 

The end of the Isa Upanisad. 


411 



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NINE 


Svetasvatara Upanisad 


The Svetasvatara Upanisad, traditionally ascribed to the Black Yajurveda, is a 
somewhat late text composed under the influence of both the Samkhya-Yoga tradi- 
tion and the emerging theistic tendencies. Its thought and vocabulary are close to 
those of the other famous theistic document, the Bhagavad Gita. Just like the latter 
text, the SU appears somewhat chaotic in its presentation because it seeks to inte- 
grate numerous and divergent cosmologies and theologies into its religious doctrine. 
Further, the numerous citations from older vedic texts indicate that the author is 
attempting to support his doctrines with vedic proof-texts, often presented with new 
interpretations. It is clear, however, that a major aim of the author is to establish 
that the God who creates and from whom one expects salvation is one. This point is 
driven home by the repeated use of the term eka, “one” or “alone.” 

This Upanisad is named after the teacher of its doctrine, one Svetasvatara (lit., 
“man with a white mule”). In his recent study, Oberlies (1988) argues against the 
commonly held conception that the SU is a “chaotic accumulation of different text- 
layers” and attempts to demonstrate that the Upanisad is a uniform text presenting a 
teaching on the god Rudra by amalgamating him with the vedic god Agni. 

Departing from my normal practice, I have chosen to translate the SU in prose, 
even though the text itself is in verse. The technical nature of much of the text and 
its complex philosophical arguments make it difficult to render into verse while 
keeping it accurate and readable. 


413 




ADHYAYA 1 


People who make inquiries about brahman say: 

What is the cause of brahman ? Why were we born? By what do we live? On what 
are we established? Governed by whom, O you who know brahman, do we live in 
pleasure and in pain, each in our respective situation? 

2 Should we regard it as time, as inherent nature, as necessity, as chance, as the ele- 
ments, as the source of birth, or as the Person? Or is it a combination of these? But 
that can’t be, because there is the self ( atman ). Even the self is not in control, 
because it is itself subject to pleasure and pain. 

3 Those who follow the discipline of meditation have seen God, the self, and the 
power, all hidden by their own qualities. One alone is he who governs all those 
causes, from “time” to “self.” 

4-5 We study it — 

as a wheel that is one-rimmed and threefold, with sixteen tips, fifty spokes, 
twenty counterspokes, and six sets of eight, whose single rope is of many 
forms; that divides itself into three different paths; and whose delusion re- 
garding the one springs from two causes. 

as a river whose waters are the five sense organs; whose fierce crocodiles are 
the five sources of birth; whose waves are the five breaths; whose primal 
source is the five types of perception; which has five whirlpools; whose 
rapid current is the five types of sorrow; which divides itself in fifty ways; 
and which has five sections. 

6 Within this vast wheel of brahman, on which all subsist and which abides in all, a 
goose keeps moving around. When he perceives himself {atman) as distinct from 
the impeller, delighted by that knowledge he goes from there to immortality. 

7 This highest brahman, however, has been extolled thus: There is a triad in it — 
oneself, the foundation, and the imperishable. When those who know brahman have 
come to know the distinction between them, they become absorbed in and totally 
intent on brahman and are freed from the womb. 

8 This whole world is the perishable and the imperishable, the manifest and the un- 
manifest joined together — and the Lord bears it, while the self {atman), who is not 
the Lord, remains bound, because he is the enjoyer. When he comes to know God, 
he is freed from all fetters. 


415 



1.9 


The Early Upanisads 


fn# ST^i<A$i4l9iiW I 

3T^RT^W fRwfr flWr m w ^mcTcf 3 I KM 

SFC RFRJT^cfR^R' ^T: ^RTr^RTtfl^rf' ^ ] 

cTWrRsqHl#3^^ II ? o 1 1 

frw ^ ?#rr5iTTfT^r: MR I 

ciFnteiHiTicflAi Rr^tpf 1 arrawr; 2 1 1 ? ? 1 1 

I^T^T w: qt ^rfoq- f^ W^R[ I 

*fW SlftdR ^ 3 Tc^T fllW sT^TcIcT 1 1 H 1 1 

cfl^rr #^TcTFT f^Tcf ^T tT fcSlfTRT: I 
?T ^T PR Wi||Pl^fR?Tfl ’ WT t SFT%T ^ I in II 

?^ffRR fF3T SPW #cRT#nr I 
81T#taMn^ t l#^cl I mil 

fcT% cte" a^Ffk -1 gf^TT: ^tcf:^Mtf 2 xn%: I 
l.rqTTfBTr^Pl 3 cfW qfcgqjpjR 1 1 ?Kl I 

^OTlftHHIcHIH' dftRdlRdd I 

ailed [^dldRdR cH?; ^TtqRnWT cP3[ s^fmf^WTCT 1 1 ? ?< II 

II ^frT yrarfrs?3TR-: II 


go^-FT gw TFRrR^RT 1 dRdT RhT: I 

a# 2 ^rtirff^nw 3 3iw>w 4 1 1 ? 1 1 

dFRT I dd <R HI dRc|. dR I 

geflW ?ra^“ 2 IRII 

g^ypr ■hH’HI i^d4cil Rptt Rdd I 
^^vjvriilRc cpR^d." dRdl Mgdlfd did I R 1 1 


416 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


2.3 


9 There are two unborn males — the one knows and the other is ignorant; the one is 
Lord and the other is not the Lord. There is just one unborn female, who is joined to 
the enjoyer and the objects of enjoyment. And then there is the self ( atman ), limit- 
less and displaying every form, not engaged in any activity. When someone finds 
these three, he finds this brahman. 

10 The primal source is perishable, while Hara is immortal and imperishable. The 
one God rules over both the perishable and the self (atman). By meditating on him, 
by striving toward him, and, further, in the end by becoming the same reality as 
him, all illusion disappears. 

11 When one has known God, all the fetters fall off; by the eradication of the blem- 
ishes, birth and death come to an end; by meditating on him, one obtains, at the dis- 
solution of the body, a third — sovereignty over all; and in the absolute one’s desires 
are fulfilled. 

12 This can be known, for it abides always within one’s body (atman). Higher than 
that there is nothing to be known. When the enjoyer discerns the object of enjoy- 
ment and the impeller — everything has been taught. That is the threefold brahman. 

13 When a fire is contained within its womb, one cannot see its visible form and yet 
its essential character is not extinguished; one can grasp the fire once again from its 
womb by means of tinder. In just the same way, one can grasp both within the body 
by means of the syllable OM. 

14 When one makes one’s own body the bottom slab and the syllable OM the upper 
drill, by twirling it constantly through meditation one would see God, just as one 
would the hidden thing. 

15-16Like oil in sesame seeds and butter in curds, like water in the riverbed and fire 
in the fire-drills, so, when one seeks it with truth and austerity, one grasps that self 
(atman) in the body (atman ) — that all-pervading self, which is contained [in the 
body], like butter in milk. 

That is brahman, the highest object of the teachings on hidden connections 
(upanisad), an object rooted in austerity and the knowledge of the self. 


ADHYAYA 2 


Yoking first his mind, and extending then his thoughts, Savitr, having recognized 
the fire as the light, brought it here from the earth. 

2 With minds yoked, we [make the offering] under the stimulus of the god Savitr for 
a heavenly abode, for strength. 

3 Yoking the gods, as they go to heaven with their mind and to the firmament with 
their thought, may Savitr stimulate them to create the lofty light. 


417 



2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


53 ^- w 53 ^ Rr4r f4qr forcer f^fr f4qf%?n I 
Rr Ftrr ^ 4^ *4%: qf^gf^r: I Ml 

g4r qf g°4 1 q44f£rf4 qRcr q^r 3 grr : 4 I 

^prRcr 5 f^4 q^r 3fT £rrfr ftanRr 6 cRf: I iql 1 

3)^4qifWzr^ cj|^4dlf4j^ri|cl 1 I 
444 r qqifrfR^c) cRT 4dl±lc) FT: I K 1 1 

qf4qT srt4t f4cf sr^r g^Rr 2 I 
m 3 4tRf <^>jm4 4 t tt ^ qcfaf^Ncr I Ml 

Riwr 1 wr ?Rtt ^4tf%rrf&r trot *rRi%r I 

^ftf4r q? Rcr %t^4ctt% rf^r wq^rRr I Ml 

qwBPfrs^i fr 1 #of q^t wiRicb4l-^41cf 2 I 
fSFggtfjRrqr qr^T f4?RRt snq4cfrqw: I Kll 

?FT « I crR ! q ! r^^r^q’Ri-O St i ^ d> I HR : R ft : : I 

TFTR q" ^ qiy4K4 q$iPlqidi>5pqft q4ld4d % II ? ° 1 1 

dlftlf4«M«Hi ^^Id^^ddbRcfj^l^lldld I 

qaiRr ^mft gq:qq#r wiRqfft^qftpqRTfft 444 M ? ? M 

g^oqHdliPlrt’^ qo-^loH^ qMldu) y'Jrl I 

q ctft ftfr q ^rt q f :^ -3 qrqqr 4tqT%qq 5 ifRqr M ? q 1 1 

oiy^di4 J 'qq^l^Hc4 cftqqiq : 1 wftfteq q I 

JRT: g*fr qqq^q'Feq" 4MlM#c1 qw q^f4f M n M 

qtft fftq J^q4lqfc5H 1 4dft4' ^T3f4 dcg^TRFT 2 I 
crgTrqcTW 5RTTftW 444 q^ - : ^rTFff q# 44^4 ^: 4 ||?V|| 

qqicddiftT <J W§TrTt4" oftM-Mr gqr: qq^4rf I 
qq spr F4cfr4f4^q4 511^1 44” dRcl dKmft 1 1 ? ql I 


418 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


2.15 


4 They yoke their minds, they yoke their thoughts, those inspired poets of the lofty 
poet. That one alone who knows the patterns has apportioned the offerings. Re- 
sounding is the praise of the god Savitr. 

5 I yoke with adorations the ancient formulation ( brahman ) of you two. The praises 
spread wide, like the suns on their course. All the sons of the immortal hear them, 
when they have reached the heavenly abodes. 

6 Where the fire is churned, where the wind wafts, where the Soma juice flows 
over — there the mind is born. 

7 By means of Savitr and his stimulus let a man take delight in that ancient formula- 
tion (brahman). Make there a source of birth for yourself. And the gifts you have 
given, not even an iota, [would fall] from you [to someone else’s lot], 

8 When he keeps his body straight, with the three sections erect, and draws the 
senses together with the mind into his heart, a wise man shall cross all the frightful 
rivers with the boat consisting of that formulation (brahman). 

9 Compressing his breaths in here and curbing his movements, a man should exhale 
through one nostril when his breath is exhausted. A wise man should keep his mind 
vigilantly under control, just as he would that wagon yoked to unruly horses. 

l°Level and clean; free of gravel, fire, and sand; near noiseless running waters and 
the like; pleasing to the mind but not offensive to the eye; provided with a cave or a 
nook sheltered from the wind — in such a spot should one engage in yogic practice. 

1 1 Mist, smoke, sun, wind, fire, fireflies, lightning, crystal, moon — these are the ap- 
paritions that, within yogic practice, precede and pave the way to the full manifes- 
tation in brahman. 

12 When earth, water, fire, air, and ether have arisen together, and the body made up 
of these five becomes equipped with the attribute of yoga, that man, obtaining a 
body tempered by the fire of yoga, will no longer experience sickness, old age, or 
suffering. 

13 Lightness, health, the absence of greed, a bright complexion, a pleasant voice, a 
sweet smell, and very little feces and urine — that, they say, is the first working of 
yogic practice. 

14 Just as a disk smeared with clay, once it is cleaned well, shines brightly, so also 
an embodied person, once he has perceived the true nature of the self, becomes 
solitary, his goal attained and free from sorrow. 

15 When, by means of the true nature of the self, which resembles a lamp, a man 
practicing yogic restraint sees here the true nature of brahman, he is freed from all 
fetters, because he has known God, unborn, unchanging, and unsullied by all ob- 
jects. 


419 



2.16 


The Early Upanisads 


HT f 1 rRstTR' ?rat: q4r ^ SUcf: W 3RT: I 

*r t^r w: 2 ?r srf^riTFr: src*r^ 5 1 1 ?^i I 

4r rf 4t ?rr f44 2 gwnM^r I 
3fr^fr§- 3fr sr^ql^rg- cr^" ^fr ^nr: Il?i9ll 


il fMNfcsqw: II 

*T 0,4) 'Jflrtc|l41$lcl |$l41Rr: H^fgt^Ffr5TcT ^IHlRr:' I 
JT t#R 3^4 4^4 T[ q- 4 licrftf^cTR^ r44t 1 1 ? 1 1 

% 2 ?4r q - fMw cr4r 3 zr fsr4t4r: 4 I 

5RW SFTffer^fcr 4g^q- f^STT g^RTf4 W: 6 11^1 1 

f4W5a^?KT f%wr^4r f^dMl^d f^WFTTcT I 
4 w \ |w eprf4 4 qrrt^fraT^4t ^ 1 1 3 1 1 

4r 4 r 4 f4gTf4qr $4r i^ff: 2 I 

q-Rirmra- g4 *r 4r f^rr gw 4pxf livil 

*rr 4 ??r %R" dd^wwiM- I 

cRTT WJoir 4ldddT IlHlI 

*nf4j Prf^RT ^4 f^Rsfert 1 l 

f^rat f4f4r dt <g?r r f|4t q^t^iiw h^h 

dcr: qt sr^nt 1 RqirW4 *t4r4j I 
Rwr qcf4 qft3fSddk4¥r 4 frw sfjjdf r44t I l^l I 

4?r 44 qw q^i^ddiRdid^ ciw: I 

c44r RR^ifrr ^4f4 =t srt: 2 q^rr f4w4sqdw I kl I 

^FTT?qt qTqrqf^r f444?RRR44fr t Ri44f4r f4fW I 
ifdwr Rf4 j4w4cfi4t44 q4 g^r r4t IKII 

ci4r qgd<d< d q d i h q d I 

w i^dRg^drRr wf4r 3 3 t 44^ j :^4Rf444r I ! ? ° 1 1 


420 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


3.10 


i <5 This God does pervade all quarters. He was born the first, yet he remains within 
the womb. He it is, who was born; he, who will be born. His face everywhere, he 
stands turning west toward men. 

I 7 He who abides as God in the fire; who abides in the waters; who has entered 
every being; who abides in the plants; who abides in the trees — to that God adora- 
tion! Adoration! 


ADHYAYA 3 


Who alone, wielding the net, reigns by his sovereign powers, reigns over all worlds 
by his sovereign powers; who also alone is present at their rise and birth — those 
who know this become immortal. 

2 There is only one Rudra; he has not tolerated a second who would reign over these 
worlds by his sovereign powers. After drawing in all beings, he stands as the pro- 
tector at the end of time turning west toward men. 

3 Eyes everywhere and face everywhere, arms everywhere and feet everywhere, he 
forges with his two hands, he forges with the wings, producing the heaven and 
earth, the one God. 

4 Who, as the source and origin of the gods and the ruler over them all, as the god 
Rudra, and as the great seer, in the beginning created Hiranyagarbha — may he fur- 
nish us with lucid intelligence. 

5 That form of yours, O Rudra, which is benign and not terrifying, which is not sin- 
ister-looking — with that most auspicious form of yours, O Mountain-dweller, look 
upon us. 

6 The arrow, O Mountain-dweller, that you hold in your hand to shoot — make it 
benign, O Mountain-protector; hurt not man or beast. 

7 Who is higher than that, higher than brahman, the immense one hidden in all be- 
ings, in each according to its kind, and who alone encompasses the whole uni- 
verse — when people know him as the Lord, they become immortal. 

8 1 know that immense Person, having the color of the sun and beyond darkness. 
Only when a man knows him does he pass beyond death; there is no other path for 
getting there. 

9 This whole world is filled by that Person, beyond whom there is nothing; beneath 
whom there is nothing; smaller than whom there is nothing; larger than whom there 
is nothing; and who stands like a tree planted firmly in heaven. 

10 What is higher than that is without visible appearance and free from affliction. 
Those who know it become immortal; as for the rest, only suffering awaits them. 


421 



3.11 


The Early Upanisads 


dq^dRldiTh: I 

?T WTRdTmdiT^ld: 1 1 ? ? 1 1 

wra^f 3W: ?Tt^T I 

gf^feTf^nrr HTfMsrrcr 1 ^fcUotw: 1 1 ? ^ 1 1 

31fWTTT: gWTS^RT?^TT fRT «RHT gf^T; 1 I 

f^r TFfrcrr 2 wnfiripir ?r 3 tTcrftfirpTfdr linil 

?TfW: ff?WRT I 

F f^WT fd3T 3f^(^51lf OT 1 ||?V|| 
w ^ ?if ^ct Jp^r | 

° c\ % 

^dl^dcd'd^lM) ^^RrfcRt^frT 1 1 ? Hi I 

?T^:q#NK I 

d4d':^fddgl^‘ fd^lcf ll?^ll 

flff^jrprnw ^rtf^rf^cff^cFr I 

ST^fWpT HcfW IpTcr' 1 1 ?V9l | 

gt pfr 3??ra?r 3 %: I 

5f# TF&T e^FT xf \\%6\ I 

3TTrf&nrr^r wft y&m *r I 

?r ^frr t xr cnprrRd cRTgw w-^t; 1 1 ?^l I 

'di^FTIdRI pt ftf^dliW ^RTT: I 
dJT5h'g" sflrr^T^r 1 II ^ ° 1 1 

^Tf^cPfMt 3TFT e°ftdRTt *T#n?T I 

PP^rT JfFT doidrfy-T SRc^tT 11^? 1 1 


II ffrT djd l' ^ r i ^rnr: ll 


JT iT^rs^aff 1 STpT $1 R^i|>l I gyfR^l IdR d I «rf 2 ^nfcT I 
#f^r xn^r f^ptR# fr ^r: 3 sr ^rr f^rr ^rw 1 1 ? 1 1 


422 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


4.1 


1 1 Who is the face, head, and neck of all, who resides deep in the heart of all beings, 
and who pervades everything — he is the Blessed One. Therefore, the Benign One is 
present everywhere. 

12 The Person, clearly, is the immense Lord. He is the one who sets in motion the 
real. The Imperishable One rules over the light, this totally flawless attainment. 

13 The Person the size of a thumb abiding within the body ( atman ) always resides 
within the hearts of people. With the heart, with insight, with thought has he been 
contemplated. Those who know this become immortal. 

14 The Person had a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet. Having 
encompassed the earth on all sides, he extended ten fingers’ breadth beyond it. 

15 This whole world is just the Person, whatever there was and whatever there will 
be. Even over immortality he rules, when he rises above [the world] through food. 

16 With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and faces everywhere, and 
with ears everywhere, that remains encompassing everything in the world — 

l 7 That, which appears to possess the powers of all the senses but is devoid of every 
sense, which is the lord, the ruler of the whole world, the vast refuge of the whole 
world. 

18 Within the fort with nine gates, the embodied one flutters to the outside like a 
goose; it is the master of the whole world, of both the immobile and the mobile. 

19 He moves swiftly, but he has no feet; he grasps, but he has no hands; he sees, but 
he has no eyes; he hears, but he has no ears. He knows what is there to know, but 
there is no one who knows him. They call him the first and immense Person. 

20Finer than the finest, larger than the largest, is the self that lies here hidden in the 
heart of a living being. A man who, by the creator's grace, sees that desireless one 
as the majesty and as the Lord will be free from sorrow. 

21 1 know that unaging and ancient one as the self in all beings, as present in all be- 
cause of his pervasiveness; the one, about whom those who inquire after brahman 
proclaim — he always brings about the cessation of birth. 


ADHYAYA 4 


Who alone, himself without color, wielding his power creates variously countless 
colors, and in whom the universe comes together at the beginning and dissolves in 
the end — may he furnish us with lucid intelligence. 


423 



4.2 


The Early Upanisads 


^di: I 

cT^T U?fT d^ sT^T dglWdJdTRRf: IRII 
dt dr 1 q^Rrrf^r dt 1 ^rtt ^ct =tt I 

0-0 o 

oT sM R-^Rl dT ^TTcfr ^ra% f^ydlH^: I R 1 1 

Rcfft ffefr oS)fiid'iy*dfefctf' HgstT I 
sRTf^rfxt 1 f^tr crRfT Rcfr strtiPt g^nRr Rmr I |v| 1 

3RT^5T c5tf|cf^rg^3iit s|^l: Uvjji: g^RHi dTddTT: 1 I 
3pfr ifcdt d^lr^Hi ^^RTTR^m^r: 2 IIM I 

gr 1 gqqt ?rg^T ddtm qf^R^ncf I 

cFTt^T: f^Tcd dTIJ 3TfrT 2 3RW^fT 3rRT dlcb?ftfcl I K 1 1 

errRr f^r ^wr f^nqitr 1 st^t^tt sfdrfcr ^ipth: I 

fcj- ?rgT Roller 3 ^'jfl^rR^T 4 qftqFrRrfrT 5 cflcRTlc^: | )vs 1 1 

W3T 3T^t 31% I 

ddrfw ^ Rpftrr ^R^'fo *r $d%w fir dWcT MM I 

s^ri% mr: ^Kf^r srarRr ^cf i 

STFU^Pfr f^^ddf^RlT R1W dRd\?: MM I 

W g RcpfcT RrTI^tRFT' Rtwr I 
ClWiq-qq^Hcl^n °MIH ddfdg d J ld M ? ° 1 1 

C\ O ■> 

?rr ?frRr JTTRmftrfcTESc^ dRqftg t q - tRr I 
dTft^TR f^TF^rf 5nf^T^RTprfcr M??M 

dt ^FTT f^lfM' 1 dgt df#: ? ' I 

ft^Kppt w 3 wt w rT f^rr gw M ? M I 

?fr ^ctnidftiMi dRd j5i<^i 3rf^)di: l 

it f?T 3R£T ffW f^T ll^ll 

gwfrrgw' cbfe(F5W WT f^WT aTOteW I 

qlW^cTit wrr^T ^uKid^-nARi M?M! 


424 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


4.14 


2 The fire is simply that; the sun is that; the wind is that; and the moon is also that! 
The bright one is simply that; brahman is that; the waters are that; and Prajapati is 
that! 

3 You are a woman; you are a man; you are a boy or also a girl. As an old man, you 
totter along with a walking stick. As you are born, you turn your face in every di- 
rection. 

4 You are the dark blue bird, the green one with red eyes, the rain-cloud, the sea- 
sons, and the oceans. You live as one without a beginning because of your perva- 
siveness, you, from whom all beings have been born. 

5 One unborn male [billy goat], burning with passion, covers one unborn female 
[nanny goat] colored red, white, and black, and giving birth to numerous offspring 
with the same colors as hers, while another unborn male leaves her as soon as she 
has finished enjoying the pleasures. 

6 Two birds, who are companions and friends, nestle on the very same tree. One of 
them eats a tasty fig; the other, not eating, looks on. 

7 Stuck on the very same tree, one person grieves, deluded by her who is not the 
Lord. But when he sees the other, the contented Lord — and the Lord’s majesty — his 
grief disappears. 

8 The syllable amidst the Rg, the syllable upon which all the gods are seated in the 
highest heaven — when a man does not know it, what will he do with a Rg. Seated 
here together are people who do know it! 

9 Meters, sacrifices, rites, religious observances, the past, the future, and what the 
Vedas proclaim — from that the illusionist creates this whole world, and in it the 
other remains confined by the illusory power. 

10 One should recognize the illusory power as primal matter, and the illusionist, as 
the great Lord. This whole living world is thus pervaded by things that are parts of 
him. 

1 1 Who alone presides over womb after womb; in whom this whole world comes 
together and dissolves — when someone recognizes that Lord who fulfills wishes as 
the God who is to be adored, he attains this unending peace. 

12 Who, as the source and origin of the gods and the ruler over them all, as the god 
Rudra, and as the great seer, looked on as Hiranyagarbha was being bom — may he 
furnish us with lucid intelligence. 

13 Who is the Supreme Lord of the gods; on whom the worlds rest; who rules over 
the bipeds and the quadrupeds here — to what god shall we offer oblations? 

14 Who is finer than the finest, in the midst of disorder; who is the creator of the 
universe displaying various forms; who, alone, encompasses the universe — when 
someone recognizes him as the Benign One, he attains unending peace. 


425 



4.15 


The Early Upanisads 


^nWt 3 Ferrer fafa frw gegwifedfer I RkI I 

fciw wf^nderg^T fnw fat d4*jclg ^r I 
faam it^- 1 qf^feent frw tt *pifr efonf )': 1 1 ? ^ 1 1 

f^ycb^ -H ^ i <r-H I ?T^T ddldi ^pif dPlR 1 ^: I 
f^J TFftTf' RRBT^rpT V U,d%^dl^ 1 1 ?V9 1 1 

w cptW f^rr =r e?r ymPW ^ ter: | 
rfirait cr^rf^^jq wr w umm^w vwtr ii?^ii 

t fepfat t mtr qf^micr I 

c\ -\ 

T cTPr SffcPTT SffeT ^TFT RFT ll?^ll 

■r fcPssfcT ^trw qr q^rfer I 

f^T RROT 3T %''R[dl’RV wtfa I Roll 

3Mld cbf%l«$0'R !Jd£lc1 I 

dfr 5 far rt mfa f^nr I R ? 1 1 

m ^rrfafa crpt rt r rt rt Rtf rt rt sp^j ftfH: l 
^^rpr tr rr vijfatr Reftff^RRr: d^RiTdi 1 I rr 1 1 

II ffeT xl^iffs?2TFr: II 

t rrirV rpr^ f^rrf^ ftftrf rr *fa l 

d^f^STT fRR g- f^rr f^TeT re^ ?fR^r: 1 1? 1 1 

tr ttt ?rT^pyf^1rP5?^r Ptr#t rpR trtm wtr: I 
dtf^ycf cfatt d-wfld fntF^rf^ 2 wR r irTcT I R 1 1 

Q%cpr ^rpy 1 wgm t^rfaw I 

^r: q?prfcr 2 cRrh #fitw rrcT R^TcRr I R 1 1 

rrt f^r ^Trera - a^-rir 1 I 

17^ ^ 4 ' f- 1 P RR id ! \S ! - J 'd'Rjl : | R|| 


426 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


5.4 


1 5 It is he who protects the world at the right time, the lord of the universe hidden in 
all beings. When someone thus knows him, after whom seers and gods strive, he 
severs the fetters of death. 

16 When someone knows the one who is extremely fine, like the spume on top of the 
ghee, as the Benign One hidden in all beings; when someone recognizes him, who 
alone encompasses the universe, as God — he is freed from all fetters. 

17 That God, the maker of all, the immense self ( atman ), is always residing in the 
hearts of people. With the heart, with insight, with thought has he been contem- 
plated. Those who know this become immortal. 

18 When there was darkness, then there was neither day nor night, neither the exis- 
tent nor the nonexistent — the Benign One alone was there. He was the imperish- 
able, he was “the excellent [glory] of Savitr,” and from him has come forth the 
ancient wisdom. 

19 No one will catch hold of him from above, from across, or in the middle. There is 
no likeness of him, whose name is Immense Glory. 

20 His appearance is beyond the range of sight; no one can see him with his sight. 
Those who know him thus with their hearts — him, who abides in their hearts — and 
with insight become immortal. 

21 “He is the Unborn One!” — so some man, filled with awe, takes refuge with 
Rudra — “Protect me always with that kindly face of yours!” 

22 “Do not hurt us in our offspring or descendants, in our life, in our cattle or horses. 
Do not slay in anger, O Rudra, our valiant men. Oblations in hand, we invite you to 
your seat.” 


ADHYAYA 5 


Two things, knowledge and ignorance, are set down in the imperishable and infinite 
fort of brahman, where they lie hidden. Now, ignorance is the perishable and 
knowledge is the immortal. But the one who rules over both knowledge and igno- 
rance is another — 

2 who alone presides over womb after womb, and thus over all visible forms and all 
the sources of birth; who in the beginning carried this Kapila born of the seer to- 
gether with his body of knowledge and would look on him as he was being bom. 

3 Spreading out one net after another in diverse ways within this world, this God 
gathers them in. After creating it once again, the Lord likewise tears it down. The 
immense self (atman) exercises his sovereignty over the whole world. 

4 As the draft-ox shines, lighting up all the quarters, above, below, and across, so 
this God, blessed and adorable, alone rules over wombs and inherent natures. 


427 



5.5 


The Early Upanisads 


qW cndcr Rrwtf^r: qi^w I 

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II ffcT M^RTSSRTR: II 


RH-TR 7 ^ c^c|if| ^fRi cblei cfRRT hRr^HMK I 
&rw ITT 1 irflRT fT ^r fR rtrcT II ? 1 1 


428 



Svetasvatara Upanisacl 


6.1 


5 Who, as the womb of all, not only ripens by his inherent nature, but also would 
bring all those in need of ripening to full development, and who would apportion all 
the qualities — he alone rules over this whole universe. 

6 It is hidden in the secret Upanisads of the Veda. Recognize it, O Brahmins, as the 
womb of brahman. The gods of old and the seers who knew it became of one es- 
sence with it and so came to be immortal. 

I The one who, in association with the qualities, performs fruitful actions also en- 
joys the fruits of that very act. Displaying every form, endowed with the three 
qualities, and along three paths he roams about as the lord of vital breaths together 
with his own actions. 

8 He is as large as a thumb and equal in appearance to the sun when he is equipped 
with the faculties of imagination and self-consciousness. But one sees also another 
no larger than the tip of an awl who is equipped only with the quality of intelligence 
and the quality of the body ( atman ). 

9 When the tip of a hair is split into a hundred parts, and one of those parts further 
into a hundred parts — the individual soul (jiva), on the one hand, is the size of one 
such part, and, on the other, it partakes of infinity. 

10 It is neither a woman nor a man, nor even a hermaphrodite; it is ruled over by 
whichever body it obtains. 

I I The birth and growth of the body {atman) takes place through the offerings of 
intention, touch, and sight, and by means of food, drink, and impregnation; whereas 
the embodied self assumes successively in different situations the physical appear- 
ances that correspond to its actions. 

12 The embodied self assumes numerous physical appearances, both large and small, 
in accordance with its qualities. One sees also another cause of their union in accor- 
dance with the qualities of the actions and the body {atman). 

13 Who is without beginning or end, in the midst of disorder; who is the creator of 
the universe displaying various forms; who, alone, encompasses the universe — 
when someone recognizes him as God, he is freed from all fetters. 

l4 Who is to be grasped with one’s heart, who is called “Without-a-Lord,” who 
brings about existence and nonexistence, who is the Benign One, and who produces 
both the creation and its constituent parts — those who know him as God have cast 
aside their bodies. 


ADHYAYA 6 


Some wise men say it is inherent nature, while others say it is time — all totally de- 
luded. It is rather the greatness of God present in the world by means of which this 
wheel of brahman goes around. 


429 



6.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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cRRRRT" RTRRRtRlf?kR t R WTTr^T ^T R^Rlft: 1 1 ? ^ 1 1 


430 



Svetasvatara Upanisad 


6.13 


2 Who always encompasses this whole world — the knower, the architect of time, the 
one without qualities, and the all-knowing one — it is at his command that the work 
of creation, to be conceived of as earth, water, fire, air, and space, unfolds itself. 

3 After completing that work and drawing it back again; after joining himself with 
the realities one after another — with one, with two, with three, or with eight, as well 
as with time and with the subtle qualities of the body ( atman ); 

4 and after undertaking the works endowed with the qualities; he who would ap- 
portion all the modes of existence — when they are no more, the work he has pro- 
duced is destroyed — he carries on, when the work is dissolved, as someone other 
than those realities. 

5-6 One sees him as the beginning, as the basis and cause of the joining, as beyond 
the three times, and also as without parts. He, from whom the unfolding of the 
world has come forth, is higher than and different from the time-confined forms of 
the tree. 

After we have first venerated that adorable God displaying every form, the source 
of all beings, as residing within one’s heart, and then recognized him as the one who 
bestows righteousness and removes evil, as the Lord of prosperity, as abiding within 
ourselves (atman), as the Immortal residing in all beings — 

7 we will find this highest Great-Lord among lords, the highest God among gods, the 
highest master among masters, the God beyond the highest as the adorable Lord of 
the universe. 

8 One cannot find in him either an obligation to act or an organ with which to act; 
neither can one see anyone equal to him, let alone someone who surpasses him. One 
hears about his highest and truly diverse power, which is part of his very nature and 
is the working of his knowledge and strength. 

9 There is no one in the world who is his master, nor anyone who rules over him. He 
has no distinguishing mark. He is the cause, the Overlord over the overlords of the 
sense organs, and he has neither parent nor overlord. 

10 The one God who covers himself with things issuing from the primal source, 
from his own inherent nature, as a spider, with the threads — may he procure us dis- 
solution in brahman. 

1 1 The one God hidden in all beings, pervading the universe, the inner self of all 
beings, the overseer of the work, dwelling in all beings, the witness, the avenger, 
alone, devoid of qualities; 

12 the one controller of the many who are inactive, who makes the single seed mani- 
fold — the wise who perceive him as abiding within themselves (atman), they alone, 
not others, enjoy eternal happiness. 

13 The changeless, among the changing, the intelligent, among intelligent beings, the 
one, who dispenses desires among the many — when a man knows that cause, which 


431 



6.13 


The Early Upanisads 


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II ffrT Rt^SJTPT: I! 


432 



Svetasvatara Upanisacl 6.23 

is to be comprehended through the application of Samkhya, as God, he is freed from 
all fetters. 

14 There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars; there lightning does not 
shine, of this common fire need we speak! Him alone, as he shines, do all things 
reflect; this whole world radiates with his light. 

15 He is the one goose in the middle of this universe. He himself resides as fire 
within the ocean. Only when a man knows him does he pass beyond death; there is 
no other path for getting there. 

16 He is the creator of all; the knower of all; his own source of birth; the knower; the 
architect of time; the one without qualities; the one with all knowledge; the Lord of 
both the primal source and of individual souls; the ruler over the qualities; and the 
cause of liberation from, remaining within, and bondage to the rebirth cycle. 

17 He who is one with him, immortal, abiding as the Lord, the knower, present 
everywhere, and the protector of this universe — he rules this living world eternally. 
There is no other cause to becoming the Lord. 

18 Who at first created the brahman and delivered to him the Vedas; who manifests 
himself by his own intelligence — in that God do I, desirous of liberation, seek ref- 
uge— 

19 in him, who, like a fire whose fuel is spent, is without parts, inactive, tranquil, 
unblemished, spotless, and the highest dike to immortality. 

20 Only when people will be able to roll up the sky like a piece of leather will suf- 
fering come to an end, without first knowing God. 

21 By the power of his austerities and by the grace of God, the wise Svetasvatara 
first came to know brahman and then proclaimed it to those who had passed beyond 
their order of life as the highest means of purification that brings delight to the 
company of seers. 

22 This supreme secret was proclaimed during a former age in the Vedanta. One 
should never disclose it to a person who is not of a tranquil disposition, or who is 
not one’s son or pupil. 

23 Only in a man who has the deepest love for God, and who shows the same love 
toward his teacher as toward God, do these points declared by the Noble One shine 
forth. 


The end of the Svetasvatara Upanisad. 



TEN 


Mundaka Upanisad 


The Mundaka Upanisad does not form part of a larger Vedic text, although tradition 
ascribes it to the Atharvaveda. This ascription, however, should not be taken too 
seriously, because most later Upanisads that did not form part of any other vedic 
collection were, almost by default, ascribed to the Atharvaveda. 

The title “Mundaka” has been the subject of some discussion. It literally means 
“shaven” or “shaven-headed.” On the basis of this title, some have suggested that 
the MuU was composed by and/or intended for shaven-headed ascetics. They have 
interpreted the “head- vow” ( sirovrata ) mentioned at the conclusion of the Upanisad 
as a reference to the shaving of the head and as another indication that the text was 
meant for ascetics. Although such an interpretation is plausible, especially in light 
of the MuU’s antiritual attitude and its use of the terms yati, probably in the sense of 
ascetic (MuU 3.1.5; 3.2.6), and samnyasa, in the sense of ascetic renunciation 
(MuU 3.2.6), I do not think it is certain. The text also uses the term mundaka for 
“chapter,” clearly an unusual term. 

More than any other Upanisad, the MuU engages in a direct and frontal attack 
against both vedic ritualism and the vedic texts that embody the ritual tradition. It 
establishes a clear distinction between a lower class of religious documents, the old 
vedic texts and ancillary literature, and a higher class consisting of texts that teach 
the imperishable brahman and contain the knowledge passed down in a tradition 
reaching back to Brahman (here as God) himself. It is this higher knowledge that 
MuU refers to as “Vedanta” (3.2.6), one of the earliest recorded use of this signifi- 
cant term. 


434 



Mundaka Upanisad 


C ONTENTS 


1-6 The higher and the lower types of knowledge 
7-9 Path of rites and the path of knowledge 
1-13 (same topic continued) 


All beings originate from the primeval Person 
Description of brahman 


The way one can perceive brahman 





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amk 2 ^issgw w 1 1? 1 1 


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^RFRT R" IUII 

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cTRT^TORRRcicfl^ f^grr I |V9| I 


FTW #q?T sfW cRfRrfFRTRfr I 


436 



MUNDAKA 1 


Brahma arose as the first among gods, 
as the creator of all, 
as the guardian of the world. 

To Atharvan, his firstborn son, he disclosed 
the knowledge of brahman, 
of all knowledge the root. 

2 The knowledge of brahman, 
which Brahma taught him — 
both the higher and the lower — 

Atharvan of old disclosed to Aiigir, 

Angir, to Bharadvaja Satyavaha, 

Bharadvaja, to Atigiras. 

3 Saunaka, a wealthy householder, once went up to Ahgiras in the pre- 
scribed manner and asked: “What is it, my lord, by knowing which a man 
comes to know this whole world?” 4 This is what Angiras told him. 

Two types of knowledge a man should learn — those who know brahman 
tell us— the higher and the lower. 5 The lower of the two consists of the Rg- 
veda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Atharvaveda, phonetics, the ritual sci- 
ence, grammar, etymology, metrics, and astronomy; whereas the higher is that 
by which one grasps the imperishable. 

6 What cannot be seen, what cannot be grasped, 

without color, without sight or hearing, 
without hands or feet; 

What is eternal and all-pervading, 

extremely minute, present everywhere — 

That is the immutable, 

which the wise fully perceive. 

7 As a spider spins out threads, then draws them into itself; 

As plants sprout out from the earth; 

As head and body hair grows from a living man; 

So from the imperishable all things here spring. 

[Ritualists argue:] 

8 Through heat brahman is built up; 

thereby food is produced. 



437 



1 . 1.8 


The Early Upanisads 


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1 1 STW: 11W: 1 1 


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|cFT 4 

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^cJFFTRT ?fcT FK f^T: M'S'll 

w^Tcy xfifcRfr -fjT^FrT 2 
cT ^WfcTT: ^FTt 

TEW ^FTT qfrK^Kf^WTF: MHM 
IJ^ftirr 1 d'HIgd'M: ^d4d: 

^irf^^'FR" 2 c|^Pd I 


438 



Mundaka Upanisacl 


1 . 2.6 


From food comes breath, 
mind, truth, and worlds, 
and immortality in rites. 

9 He is omniscient, he knows all; 
knowledge is his austerity. 

From him is born this brahman, 

as also name, appearance, and food. 

Here is the truth: 

The rites that the wise poets 
saw in the vedic formulas, 
are stretched in many ways 
across the three Vedas — 

Perform them always, 

you who long for the truth; 

That’s your path to the world of those 
Who correctly perform the rites. 

2 When the flame flickers after the fire is lit, 

let him then make his offerings, 
between the two pourings of ghee. 

3 A man’s daily fire sacrifice that remains 

without the new-moon, the full-moon, 
the four-month or harvest sacrifice; 
or without offerings to guests; 

That is not performed, or performed 
without an offering to all the gods, 
or without following the rules; 

Will rob him of his worlds, up to the very seventh. 

4 The Black, the Terrible, the Swift-as-the-mind, 

The Blood-red, the Smoke-colored, the Sparkling, 
And the glittering Goddess — 

These are the seven flickering tongues of flame. 

5 When a man moves within these, 

as they are shining bright, 
receiving oblations offered at the proper time; 
Then, as sunbeams, these carry him 
to where the king of gods resides, 
the only place to reside. 

6 “Come! Come!” say the oblations shining bright, 

As they carry their offerer on the sun’s rays of light. 


439 



1 . 2.6 


The Early Upanisads 


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S^TFMrTFr SHlfodlF I 


440 



Mundaka Upanisad 


1.2.13 


They praise him, telling him flattering things: 

“This is yours, this brahman’s world. 

Built by good deeds and rites well done.” 

[The Author replies:] 

7 Surely, they are floating unanchored, 

these eighteen forms of the sacrifice, 
the rites within which are called inferior. 

The fools who hail that as the best, 

return once more to old age and death. 

8 Wallowing in ignorance, but calling themselves wise, 

thinking they are learned, the fools go around. 
Hurting themselves badly, like a group of blind men, 
led by a man who is himself blind. 

9 Wallowing in ignorance time and again, 

the fools imagine, “We have reached our aim!” 
Because of their passion, they do not understand, 
these people who are given to rites. 

Therefore, they fall, wretched and forlorn, 
when their heavenly stay comes to a close. 

10 Deeming sacrifices and gifts as the best, 

the imbeciles know nothing better. 

When they have enjoyed their good work, 
atop the firmament. 

They return again to this abject world. 

11 But those in the wilderness, calm and wise, 

who live a life of penance and faith, 
as they beg their food; 

Through the sun’s door they go, spotless, 
to where that immortal Person is, 
that immutable self. 

12 When he perceives the worlds as built with rites, 

A Brahmin should acquire a sense of disgust — 

“What’s made 
can’t make 
what is unmade!” 

To understand it he must go, firewood in hand, 
to a teacher well versed in the Vedas, 
and focused on brahman. 

13 To that student of tranquil mind and calm disposition, 

who had come to him in the right manner, 
that learned man faithfully imparted, 


441 



1.2.13 


The Early Upanisads 


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W® WTFRET 2 c5FST: 

#tfr m ss?r i k 1 1 


442 



Mundaka Upanisad 


2.1.6 


The knowledge of brahman, 

by which he understood that Person — 
the true, the imperishable. 


MUNDAKA 2 


Here is the truth: 

As from a well-stoked fire sparks fly by the thousands, 
all looking just like it. 

So from the imperishable issue diverse things, 
and into it, my friend, they return. 

2 That Person, indeed, is divine, 

he has no visible form; 

He is both within and without, 
unborn, without breath or mind; 

He is radiant, and farther than 
the farthest imperishable. 

3 From him issue breath and mind, 

and all the organs, 
wind, fire, water, and space. 

And the earth that bears everything. 

4 His head is the fire, his eyes the sun and moon; 

His ears are the quarters; his speech the Vedas disclosed; 
His breath is the wind, his heart the universe; 
and with his feet he is, indeed, 
the inmost self of every being. 

5 From him comes the fire whose firewood is the sun; 
From the moon comes rain; plants grow upon earth; 

And in the woman the man spills his seed — 

From the Person have issued many creatures. 

6 Rg verses, Saman chants, Yajus formulas. 

As well as sacrificial consecrations: 

from him do they spring; 

All sacrifices, rites, sacrificial gifts: 
from him do they spring; 

The year, the sacrificer, and the worlds — 

Worlds where the sun and the moon shine — 
from him do they spring. 


443 



2.1.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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444 



Mundaka Upanisad 


2.2.3 


7 Gods, celestial beings, humans, beasts, and birds: 
from him in diverse ways they spring; 

In-breath and out-breath, barley and rice, 
penance, faith, and truth, 
the chaste life and the rules of rites: 
from him do they spring. 

8 The seven breaths, the seven flames, 

the seven oblations, the seven pieces of wood: 
from him do they spring. 

These seven worlds in which the breaths move 
as they lay hidden, seven by seven, within the cave: 
from him do they spring. 

9 From him spring all oceans and hills; 

From him flow rivers of all types; 

From him spring all plants and the sap by which 
he abides in things as their inmost self. 

10 All this is simply that Person — 

rites, penance, prayer (brahman), the highest immortal. 
One who knows this, my friend, hidden within the cave, 
cuts the knot of ignorance in this world. 


Though manifest, it is lodged in the cave, 
this vast abode named “Aged.” 

In it are placed this whole world; 

In it are based what moves or breathes — 

what moves or breathes, what blinks the eye, 
what’s most desirable, beyond perception, 
what people desire most. 

2 What is smaller than the smallest and intensely bright, 

in which rest these worlds and those who live therein — 
It is the imperishable brahman ; 

It is the breath, it is speech and mind; 

It is the truth, the immortal. 

It is what we must strike, my friend. 

Strike it! 

3 Take, my friend, this bow, 

this great weapon of upanisad'. 

Place veneration on it 
as the whetted arrow; 

Stretch it with the thought fixed on the nature of that; 

That very imperishable is the target, my friend. 

Strike it! 


445 



2.2.4 


The Early Upanisads 


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446 



Mundaka Upanisad 


2 . 2.10 


4 The bow is OM, the arrow’s the self, 

The target is brahman, they say. 

One must strike that undistracted. 

He will then be lodged in that, 

Like the arrow, in the target, 

5 That alone is the self, you must understand, 

On which are woven the earth, 

intermediate region, and sky, 
the mind, together with all breaths. 

Put away other words, for this 
is the dike to the immortal. 

6 Where the veins come together, 

like spokes on the hub, 

In it that one moves, taking 
birth in many ways. 

“It is OM” — meditate thus on this self; 

Good luck to you, as you cross 
beyond the darkness! 

7a Who knows all, who observes all, 

to whom belongs all greatness on earth — 

He is this self in the divine fort of brahman, 
having a secure footing in the sky. 

7b Consisting of thought, controller of body and breaths; 
he has a secure footing in food, 
after having settled in the heart. 

By perceiving him the wise see 

what becomes visible as the immortal 
in the form of bliss. 

8 When one sees him — 

both the high and the low; 

The knot of one’s heart is cut, 
all doubts are dispelled; 
and his works come to an end. 

9 In that high golden container is brahman, 

stainless and partless, 
the brilliant light of lights! 

This is what they know, 
those who know the self. 

10 There the sun does not shine, 

nor the moon and the stars; 

There lightning does not shine, 

of the common fire need we speak! 


447 



2 . 2.10 


The Early Upanisads 


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448 



Muticlaka Upanisad 


3.1.5 


Him alone, as he shines, do all things reflect; 
this whole world radiates with his light. 

1 1 Brahman alone here extends to the east; 
brahman, to the west; 
brahman , to the south, to the north, 
brahman extends above and below; 

It is brahman alone that extends 
over this whole universe, 
up to its widest extent. 


MUNDAKA 3 

Two birds, companions and friends, 
nestle on the very same tree. 

One of them eats a tasty fig; 
the other, not eating, looks on. 

2 Stuck on the very same tree, 

one person grieves, deluded 
by her who is not the Lord; 

But when he sees the other, 

the contented Lord — and his majesty — 
his grief disappears. 

3 When the seer sees that Person, 

the golden-colored, the creator, the Lord, 
as the womb of brahman ; 

Then, shaking off the good and the bad, 
the wise man becomes spotless, 
and attains the highest identity. 

4 It is breath that is visible in all beings — 

Be a man who perceives, who knows this, 

and thereby a man who outtalks; 
a man who dallies with the self, 
who finds pleasure in the self, 
and thus an active man. 

He is brahmanl 

and of those who know brahman. 

He is the best! 

5 By truth can this self be grasped — 

by austerity, by right knowledge, 
and by a perpetually chaste life. 


449 



3 . 1.5 


The Early Upanisads 


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450 



Mumlaka Upanisad 


3.2.2 


It lies within the body, brilliant and full of light, 
which ascetics perceive, 
when their faults are wiped out. 

6 The real alone he wins, never the unreal. 

Along the real runs the path to the gods, 

On which the seers proceed, their desires fulfilled. 

To where that highest treasure of the real is found. 

7 It is large, heavenly, of inconceivable form; 

yet it appears more minute than the minute. 

It is farther than the farthest, 
yet it is here at hand; 

It is right here within those who see, 
hidden within the cave of their heart. 

8 Not by sight, not by speech, nor by any other sense; 

nor by austerities or rites is he grasped. 

Rather the partless one is seen by a man, as he meditates, 
when his being has become pure, 
through the lucidity of knowledge. 

9 By thought is this subtle self to be known, 

into which breath has entered in five ways; 

By the senses is laced the entire thought of people, 
in which, when it is pure, this self becomes disclosed. 

10 Whatever world a man, whose being is purified, 

ponders with his mind, 

and whatever desires he covets; 

that very world, those very desires, he wins. 

A man who desires prosperity, therefore, 
should worship one who knows the self. 


He knows this highest abode of brahman , 
placed in which shines everything bright. 

The wise men, free from desires, 
who worship the Person, 
go beyond what is here bright. 

2 One who hankers after desires in his thoughts, 
is born here and there through his desires. 

But when one’s desires are fulfilled, 
and one’s self is made perfect, 
all his desires disappear in this very world. 


451 



3 . 2.2 


The Early Upanisads 


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452 



Mundaka Upanisad 


3 . 2.10 


3 This self cannot be grasped, 

by teachings or by intelligence, 
or even by great learning. 

Only the man he chooses can grasp him, 
whose body this self chooses as his own. 

4 This self cannot be grasped, 

by a weak man or through carelessness, 
by austerity or by one without the marks. 

But when a wise man strives by these means, 
this self enters his brahman- abode. 

5 The seers, sated with knowledge, 

when they have attained him, 
become free from passion and tranquil, 
and their selves are made perfect. 

The wise, their selves controlled, 
when they attain him altogether, 
he who is present in All, 
they enter into that very All. 

6 The ascetics who have firmly determined their goal 

through a full knowledge of the Vedanta, 
have their being purified 
by the discipline of renunciation. 

In the worlds of brahman, at the time of the final end, 
having become fully immortal, 
they will all be fully liberated. 

7 The fifteen parts have retired to their foundations; 

And all the senses, to the respective divinities; 

Works and the self consisting of knowledge — 

all unite in the highest immutable. 

8 As the rivers flow on and enter into the ocean 

giving up their names and appearances; 

So the knower, freed from name and appearance, 

reaches the heavenly Person, beyond the very highest. 

9 When a man comes to know that highest brahman , he himself becomes 
that very brahman. A man without the knowledge of brahman will not be born 
in his family. He passes beyond sorrow, he passes beyond evil. Freed from the 
knots of his heart, he will become immortal. 10 This point has been made in the 
Rgvedic verse; 

Who are versed in the Vedas and perform rites, 

Who are grounded in brahman, 

Who offer for themselves, with faith in the lone seer, 
to these alone let a man teach 


453 



3.2.10 


The Early Upanisads 



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454 



Mutidaka Upanisad 


3.2.11 


this knowledge of brahman, 

So long as they have duly performed the head-vow. 

1 1 Here is the truth that the seer Angiras proclaimed of old. A man who has not 
performed the head- vow may not learn it. 

Homage to the highest seers! 

Homage to the highest seers! 

The end of the Mundaka Upanisad. 


455 



ELEVEN 


Prasna Upanisad 


The Prasna Upanisad consists of the sage Pippalada’s answers to six questions 
posed by six learned Brahmins. The title of the Upanisad, Prasna (“question”), is 
derived from these questions, and each of its six chapters is also called a prasna or 
“question.” This setting appears to be borrowed from the similar format in SB 
10.6.1 and CU 5.11. Although the questions are diverse, they all focus on the cen- 
trality of breath within the cosmology and soteriology of the text. 

The Prasna is traditionally ascribed to the Atharvaveda, and the name of the 
teacher of PU, Pippalada, connects it to the Paippalada branch of the Atharvaveda. 
The PU, nevertheless, has not come down to us as part of a larger Atharvavedic 
Brahmana. Just like the earlier verse Upanisads, the PU was composed, in all like- 
lihood, as an independent text, possibly with a loose connection to the Atharvavedic 
tradition. Atharvavedic ascriptions are somewhat suspect because tradition consid- 
ers almost all late Upanisads, beginning with the Mundaka, as belonging to the 
Atharvaveda. 


C ONTENTS 


1 

The origin of creatures: creation of substance and lifebreath by Prajapati 
2 

Superiority of lifebreath over other faculties 
3 

How breath travels about within the body 


456 



Prasna JJpanisad 


4 

Explanation of dream and dreamless sleep 

5 

Meditation on the syllable OM 

6 

Sixteen parts of a man 


457 





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458 


PRASNA 1 


Sukesa Bharadvaja, Saibya Satyakama, SauryayanT Gargya, Kausalya Asvalayana, 
Bhargava Vaidarbhi, and Kabandhi Katyanana — now these were men devoted to 
brahman , grounded in brahman , and in search of the highest brahman. They went 
to the Venerable Pippalada carrying firewood in their hands, thinking: “Surely, he 
will teach us all that.” 

2 The seer told them: “Live here for another year practicing austerity, chastity, 
and faith. Ask all the questions you want, and, if I know, I will answer them all.” 

3 Then Kabandhi Katyanana came up to him and asked: “Lord, from where do 
these creatures come?” 

4 He told Kabandhi: “The Lord of Creatures [Prajapati], naturally, has a yearn- 
ing for creatures. So he heated himself through exertion. When he had heated him- 
self through exertion, he produced a couple — substance and lifebreath — thinking, 
‘These two will turn out creatures for me in many different ways.’ 

5 “Lifebreath is clearly the sun, while the moon is simply substance. And this 
whole world — both what has form and what is without form — is substance. Sub- 
stance, therefore, is a form. 

6 “Now, when the sun, as it rises, enters the eastern quarter, it thereby gathers 
the eastern lifebreaths in its rays. Likewise, when it illuminates the southern, the 
western, and the northern quarters, when it illuminates the nadir, the zenith, and the 
intermediate directions, when it illumines the whole world, it thereby gathers all the 
lifebreaths in its rays. 7 Here rises the fire common to all as the dazzling lifebreath 
and fire! The same thing has been expressed in a Rgvedic verse: 

8 Golden, dazzling, fiery; 

the light, the highest course, 
the one, the glowing — 

Here rises the sun with a thousand rays, 
moving in a hundred ways, 
the lifebreath of created beings. 

9 “Prajapati is the year. It has two courses, the southern and the northern. Now, 
those who venerate thus: ‘The best action is offerings to gods and priests!’ win only 
the lunar world. They are the ones who return again. Therefore, the seers here who 
yearn for children proceed along the southern course. This course of the fathers, 
clearly, is substance. 

10 “Those who seek the self by means of austerity, chastity, faith, and knowl- 
edge, on the other hand, proceed by the northern course and win the sun. Clearly, it 


459 



1.10 


The Early Upanisads 


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460 



Prasna Upanisad 


2.4 


is the abode of lifebreaths; it is the immortal, free from fear; it is the highest course; 
from it they do not return; and so, it is the final stoppage. On this there is this verse: 

11 Some call him — 

a father with five feet and twelve parts, 
who dwells on the far side of the sky, 
at the very source. 

But others here call him — 

the radiant one on the near side, 
hitched to the one with seven wheels 
and six spokes. 

12 “Prajapati is the month. Substance is its dark fortnight, and lifebreath is its 
bright fortnight. Therefore, people here who are seers perform sacrifices during the 
bright fortnight, while others do so during the other fortnight. 

13 “Prajapati is the day and night, of which lifebreath is the day and substance is 
the night. So those who make love during the day spill their lifebreath, whereas 
making love during the night is the same as observing chastity. 

14 “Prajapati is food. From it comes semen; from semen are produced these 
creatures. 15 So, those who undertake the vow of Prajapati produce a couple. 

To them belong the world of brahman, 
who practice chastity and austerity, 
in whom truth is well established. 

16 To them belongs that stainless world of brahman 
in whom there is no crookedness, 
no falsehood or deceit.” 


PRASNA 2 


Then Bhargava Vaidarbhi asked him: “Lord, just how many deities are there who 
support a creature? Which of them, thus, become manifest? And which is the most 
excellent of them?” 

2 He told Bhargava: “Space is such a deity, and so are wind, fire, waters, earth, 
speech, mind, sight, and hearing. As they become manifest, they say: ‘We are the 
ones who shore up this reed and support it.’ 

3 “Lifebreath, the most excellent of them, told them: ‘Don’t delude yourself! It 
is I who, dividing myself into five parts, shore up this reed and support it.’ But they 
didn’t believe him. 4 So, out of pride, he started to set off. As he was setting off, 
then, all the others set off, and as he was settling down, they all settled down. Just 
as all the bees set off when the queen bee sets off, and settle down when she settles 
down, so did speech, mind, sight, and hearing. Delighted, then, they praised the 
lifebreath : 


461 



2.5 


The Early Upanisads 


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462 



Prasna Upanisad 


2.13 


5 This bums as fire — this as sun; 

This as rain and Maghavan, this as wind; 

This as earth and the divine substance; 

As real and not-real; 

And what is immortal. 

6 Rg verses, Yajus formulas, and Saman chants; 

The sacrifice, the Brahmin and Ksatriya ranks — 

Everything is fixed on lifebreath, 

As spokes on the hub. 

7 You are Prajapati, you move in the womb; 

it is also you who are born. 

To you, Lifebreath, creatures bring tribute; 
with the senses (prana) you dwell. 

8 You are the best bearer of offerings to the gods. 

You are the first oblation to the fathers. 

You are the truth that the seers practiced, 
the Atharvans and the Angirases. 

9 O Lifebreath — 

by your radiance you are Indra! 
as the guardian you are Rudra! 
as the sun you move in midspace; 
you are the lord of lights! 

10 O Lifebreath — 

when you send down the rains, 
these creatures of yours stand in joy, 
thinking, ‘There’ll be 
as much food as we want!’ 

" O Lifebreath — 

you are the Vratya, you are the lone seer, 
you are the eater of all, the lord of the household! 
we are the ones who give you food; 
you are our father, Matarisvan! 

12 Your form that abides in speech, 

Y our form in hearing and in sight, 

Your form extended within the mind. 

Make them all propitious! 

Do not depart from us! 

13 In the power of lifebreath is this whole world. 

As also what exists in the third heaven. 

Protect us, as a mother, her sons. 

Grant us prosperity and wisdom.” 


463 



3.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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464 



Prasna Upanisad 


3.12 


PRASNA 3 


Then Kausalya Asvalayana asked him: “Lord, from what does this lifebreath arise? 
How does it enter this body? How does it divide itself and settle down? By what 
path does it set off? How is it designated outside the body ( atman ) and how within 
the body?” 

2 He told Kausalya: “You ask too many questions! But since you are a very 
eminent Brahmin, I will answer you. 

3 “The lifebreath here arises from the self (atman). 

As this shadow here, upon a man. 

So this mind is stretched upon lifebreath; 

And it enters by a path created by the mind. 

4 “As only a sovereign king appoints administrators, telling them, ‘You govern 
these villages, and you govern these other villages,’ in just the same way the life- 
breath here assigns the other breaths to their respective places. 5 The in-breath set- 
tles in the anus and the sexual organ, while the lifebreath itself settles in sight and 
hearing through the mouth and nostrils. The link-breath ( sarnana ), on the other 
hand, settles in the midregion, for it makes the food that has been offered alike 
(sama). And from it arise these seven flames here. 

6 “The self (atman) resides within the very heart. There are a hundred and one 
veins here in the body. Each of them branch into a hundred more, and each of these 
branches into seventy-two thousand more. Along these veins travels the link-breath. 
7 Now, the up-breath rises up along one of these and conducts a person to a good 
world if he has done good deeds, to a bad world if he has done bad deeds, and to the 
world of men if he has done both. 

8 “Now, the sun rises as the external lifebreath, for this conforms to the life- 
breath residing within sight. The deity in the earth — that deity is there on account of 
the in-breath of a person. The space that is in between is the link-breath, and the 
wind is the inter-breath. 

9-tO“The up-breath is fire. Therefore, when one’s fire is extinguished, one re- 
turns again to the lifebreath with the faculties uniting in the mind and with whatever 
thought one then has. United with heat, then, the lifebreath, together with the self, 
leads him to the world that accords with his conception. 

1 1 “When a man knows this and thus understands the lifebreath, his line of 
progeny will not be cut off, and he will become immortal. On this there is this 
verse: 

12 The origin, entrance, position, 

the fivefold expansion of lifebreath; 
how it relates to what’s in the body — 

A man who knows this becomes immortal.” 


465 



4.1 


The Early Upanisads 


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466 



Prasna Upanisad 


4.10 


PRASNA 4 


Then SauryayanT Gargya asked him: “Lord, which are the ones that go to sleep 
within a person here? Which are the ones that keep awake in him? Which of these 
deities sees dreams? Who experiences this bliss? And which is the one in which all 
these are established?” 

2 He told SauryayanI: “As, when the sun is setting, all the rays of light gather 
together within that glowing orb and shoot out again every time it rises, so, Gargya, 
all of them gather together within the highest deity — the mind. As a result, a person 
in that condition does not hear, does not see, does not smell, does not taste, does not 
feel, does not speak, does not grasp, does not experience sexual pleasure, does not 
excrete, and does not move about. About him people say: ‘He is asleep.’ 

3 “It is the fires that are the breaths which keep awake in this fort. Clearly, the 
householder’s fire is this in-breath here, and the southern fire is the inter-breath. 
Because of its being taken out (pranayana ) — since it is taken out of the house- 
holder’s fire — the offertorial fire is the out-breath (prana). 4 The link-breath 
(samana) gets its name from the fact that it makes these two offerings alike 
(, sama ) — the exhalation and the inhalation. The patron of the sacrifice, clearly, is the 
mind. The very fruit of the sacrifice is the up-breath, and every day it conducts the 
patron of the sacrifice to brahman. 

5 “There, in sleep, this deity experiences his greatness. He sees again whatever 
he had seen before; he hears again the very things he has heard before; and he expe- 
riences over again what he has experienced before in various places and in remote 
regions. Being himself the whole world, he sees the whole world — things he has 
seen and things he has not seen, things he has heard and things he has not heard, 
things he has experienced and things he has not experienced, the real and the unreal. 

6 “When, however, he is overpowered by heat, this deity does not see any 
dreams here. Then, in this body there arises this bliss. 

7 “As birds rest on the tree where they nest, so, my friend, all these rest on the 
highest self (atmari) — 8 earth and the elements of earth; waters and the elements of 
water; fire and the elements of fire; wind and the elements of wind; space and the 
elements of space; sight and visible objects; hearing and aural objects; smell and 
olfactory objects; taste and gustatory objects; touch and tactile objects; speech 
and the objects of speech; hands and the objects that can be grasped; sexual organ 
and objects that can be enjoyed; anus and what can be excreted; feet and objects 
across which one can travel; mind and the objects of the mind; intellect and the ob- 
jects of the intellect; the perception of ego and the objects falling under that percep- 
tion; reason and the objects of reason; light and the objects that can be illuminated; 
lifebreath and what it can support. 

9 “This intelligent self, namely, the Person — who is really the one who sees, 
feels, hears, smells, tastes, thinks, understands, and acts — rests on the highest, that 
is, the imperishable self, lOand attains the highest, the imperishable. 

“Whoever perceives that shining imperishable devoid of shadow, body, or 


467 



4.10 


The Early Upanisads 


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Prasna Upanisad 


5.7 


blood — whoever so perceives, my friend — knowing the whole, he becomes the 
whole world. On this there is this verse: 

1 1 That on which rest the breaths and beings, 

and, with all the deities, the intelligent self; 

Whoever knows that, my friend, as the imperishable; 

He, knowing the whole world, 

has entered the whole world indeed.” 


PRASNA 5 


Then Saibya Satyakama asked him: “Lord, if some man were to meditate on the 
syllable OM [= AUM] until his death, what is the world that he would win through 
that meditation?” 

2 He told Saibya: “Satyakama, the syllable OM is clearly both the higher and the 
lower brahman. Either of these two, therefore, can be attained through this same 
medium by a man who knows it. 

3 “If a man meditates on its first phoneme [A], he gets his knowledge just from 
that; so he comes back to earth very quickly and is led to the human world by the 
Rg verses. There, possessing a natural propensity for austerity, chastity, and faith, 
he enjoys greatness. 

4 “If, on the other hand, a man becomes mentally absorbed in the first two pho- 
nemes [AU], he reaches the intermediate region and is led up to the lunar world by 
the Yajus formulas. After enjoying sovereign power in the lunar world, he returns. 

5 “A man who meditates on that highest person by means of this very syllable 
OM with all three of its phonemes [AUM], on the contrary, enters into the effulgence 
in the sun. He becomes released from evil, just like a snake from his slough. He is 
led to the world of brahman by the Saman chants and beholds the fort-dwelling per- 
son far beyond this entire mass of living beings. On this there are these two verses: 

6 The three phonemes lead to the deathless, 

when they are combined, 
joined to one another, 
and not disjointed. 

When they are rightly combined 

in performances external, internal, or in between, 
a man who knows does not tremble. 

7 With Rg verses, this world; 

With Yajus formulas, the midregions; 

With Saman chants, the place 
which poets proclaim. 


469 



5.7 


The Early Upanisads 


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470 



Prasna Upanisad 


6.8 


By O M alone as the support 
Does a man who knows it attain 
that which is serene, 
beyond old age and death, 
free from fear, the supreme.” 


PRASNA 6 


Then Sukesa Bharadvaja asked him: “Hiranyanabha, a prince of Kosala, once came 
to me. Lord, and asked this question: ‘Do you know the person consisting of sixteen 
parts?’ I told the prince: ‘I don’t know him. If I had known him, how could I have 
not told you. Up to his very roots, surely, a man withers when he tells a lie. That’s 
why I can’t tell you a lie.’ He got on to his chariot silently and went away. So I ask 
you: Who is that person?” 

2 He told Sukesa: “Right here within the body, my friend, is that person in 
whom the sixteen parts come into being. 

3 “That person thought to himself: ‘Who is the one that when he sets off, I will 
set off and when he settles down, I will settle down?’ 4 He then created the life- 
breath, and from the lifebreath, faith, space, wind, fire, water, earth, senses, mind, 
and food; from food, strength, austerity, vedic formulas, rites, and worlds; and in 
the worlds, name. 

3 “Now, take these rivers. They flow toward the ocean and, upon reaching it, 
merge into the ocean and lose their name and visible appearance; one simply calls it 
the ocean. In just the same way, these sixteen parts of the person who is the per- 
ceiver proceed toward the person and, upon reaching him, merge into that person, 
losing their names and visible appearances; one simply calls it the person. He then 
becomes partless and immortal. On this there is this verse: 

6 In whom the parts are fixed, 
as spokes on a hub — 

You should know that person, who is to be known, 
so that death may not disturb you.” 

7 Pippalada then said to all of them: “That is everything I know about this highest 
brahman , higher than which there is nothing.” 8 They praised him, saying: “You are, 
indeed, our father, for you have taken us to the farthest shore beyond ignorance.” 

Homage to the supreme seers! Homage to the supreme seers! 

The end of the Prasna Upanisad. 


471 



This page intentionally left blank 



TWELVE 


Mandukya Upanisad 


The Mandukya Upanisad is traditionally assigned to the Atharvaveda, even though 
several teachers named Mandukeya are listed in the literature of the Rgveda (e.g., 
AA 3.1). This small document deals with the sacred syllable OM and identifies it 
with the whole world, with Brahman, and with the self ( dtman ). The three constitu- 
ent phonemes of the syllable OM are further identified with the three states of the 
self — the waking, the dreaming, and deep sleep. The historical importance of the 
MaU is dependent on the famous gloss, Karika (also called Agamasastra), by 
Gaudapada, who is traditionally identified as the teacher of the teacher of Samkara, 
the great exponent of monistic philosophy (Advaita Vedanta). 


473 





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q- ITR il?°ll 







OM — this whole world is that syllable! Here is a further explanation of it. The 
past, the present, and the future — all that is simply OM; and whatever else that is 
beyond the three times, that also is simply OM — 2 for this brahman is the Whole. 
Brahman is this self ( atman ); that [brahman] is this self ( atman ) consisting of four 
quarters. 

3 The first quarter is Vaisvanara — the Universal One — situated in the waking 
state, perceiving what is outside, possessing seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and 
enjoying gross things. 

4 The second quarter is Taijasa — the Brilliant One — situated in the state of 
dream, perceiving what is inside, possessing seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and 
enjoying refined things. 

5 The third quarter is Prajria — the Intelligent One — situated in the state of deep 
sleep — deep sleep is when a sleeping man entertains no desires or sees no dreams — ; 
become one, and thus being a single mass of perception; consisting of bliss, and 
thus enjoying bliss; and having thought as his mouth. 6 He is the Lord of all; he is 
the knower of all; he is the inner controller; he is the womb of all — for he is the ori- 
gin and the dissolution of beings. 

7 They consider the fourth quarter as perceiving neither what is inside nor what 
is outside, nor even both together; not as a mass of perception, neither as perceiving 
nor as not perceiving; as unseen; as beyond the reach of ordinary transaction; as 
ungraspable; as without distinguishing marks; as unthinkable; as indescribable; as 
one whose essence is the perception of itself alone; as the cessation of the visible 
world; as tranquil; as auspicious; as without a second. That is the self [atman), and 
it is that which should be perceived. 

8 With respect to syllables, OM is this very self [atman)-, whereas with respect to 
the constituent phonemes of a syllable, it is as follows. The constituent phonemes 
are the quarters, and the quarters are the constituent phonemes, namely, “a,” “u,” 
and “m.” 

9 The first constituent phoneme — “a” — is Vaisvanara situated in the waking 
state, so designated either because of obtaining ( apti ) or because of being first 
[adimattva). Anyone who knows this is sure to obtain all his desires and to become 
the first. 

10 The second constituent phoneme — “u” — is Taijasa situated in the state of 
dream, so designated either because of heightening [utkarsa) or because of being 
intermediate [ubhayatva). Anyone who knows this is sure to heighten the continuity 
of knowledge and to become common; and a man without the knowledge of brah- 
man will not be born in his lineage. 


475 



The Early Upanisads 


gJR-mFT: WT WR^RfcTT 

e^fHrPsa' *rafcr *r ^ ^ 1 1 ? ? I 


Mandukya Upanisad 


12 


1 1 The third constituent phoneme — “m” — is Prajna situated in the state of deep 
sleep, so designated either because of construction ( miti ) or because of destruction 
(, aplti ). Anyone who knows this is sure to construct this whole world and to become 
also its destruction. 

12 The fourth, on the other hand, is without constituent phonemes; beyond the 
reach of ordinary transaction; the cessation of the visible world; auspicious; and 
unique. 

Accordingly, the very self ( atman ) is OM. Anyone who knows this enters the 
self {atman) by himself (atman). 

The end of the Mandukya Upanisad. 


477 



APPENDIX 


NAMES OF GODS, PEOPLE, 
AND PLACES 


For more detailed information about the humans, gods, and sages, as well as the place- 
names mentioned in the Upanisads, the reader may consult the comprehensive index 
prepared by Macdonell and Keith (1912) and Macdonell’s (1898) survey of vedic my- 
thology. For the location of many of the places, consult the map on p. 14. The reader 
should consult the index for a complete listing of occurrences of these names in the 
Upanisads. The following list does not include individuals mentioned solely in the 
long lists of teachers and pupils appended to several Upanisads. 

Abhipratarin Kaksaseni. A person of royal descent among the Kurus who appears 
in several ancient texts as engaged in theological discussions. The JB (3.156) reports 
that his sons divided his property while he was still alive. 

Aditi. A female deity, the mother of several gods, including Varuna and Mitra. In later 
mythology she is made the mother of gods in general. Sometimes she is identified 
with the earth. See KaU 4.7; Macdonell 1898, 120-23. 

Adityas. Literally the son(s) of Aditi, the term in the plural refers to a group of gods, 
including some prominent ones such as Varuna, Mitra, and Indra. Early texts give 
their number as eight, but the Brahmanas already show their number as twelve, which 
has remained the norm ever since. Together with the Vasus and the Rudras, they con- 
stitute the three major classes of gods (see CU 3.16). In the singular, the term Aditya 
refers to the sun. 

Ajatasatru. A king of Kasi, not to be confused with a king of the same name, the son 
of Bindusara, recorded in the Buddhist texts. 

Angirasa. The name of a class of priests closely associated with another group called 
Atharvan. The name is also used with reference to a group of sundry divine beings 
and is an epithet to several gods, especially the fire god Agni. 

Aruni. The patronymic of Uddalaka Aruni. 

Asvala. Little is known about him, apart from the fact recorded in BU 3.1.2 that he was 
the Hotr priest of Janaka of Videha. 

Asvapati Kaikeya, Known only from the episode, recorded both in SB 10.6.1.2 and 
in CU 5.11.4, of his instructing several Brahmins about the self. He was a king of the 
Kekayas, a people located in the northwestern region. 


478 



Appendix 


Asvins. Twin deities described as young, beautiful, fond of honey, and expert in medi- 
cal knowledge. They are the physicians of the gods. 

Atidhanvan Saunaka. A teacher appearing in CU 1.9.3; little else is known about 
him other than that he was the teacher of Udara Sandilya. 

Atikl. The wife of Usasti in CU 1.10.1. 

Baka Dalbhya. A Brahmin from the Kuru-Pancala region, who is credited in the JB 
(1.9.2) with constraining Indra. His only appearance in the Upanisads is in the hu- 
morous tale of dogs at CU 1.12. 

Balaki. See Gargya Balaki. 

Barku Varsna. Appears as a teacher who is at odds with Yajnavalkya. He is portrayed 
in a poor light both in SB 1.1.1.10 and BU 4.1.4. 

Bhaga. This word means “dispenser,” and this “dispenser of wealth” is counted among 
the twelve Adityas. 

Bhargava Vaidarbhi. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippalada in the PU 2. 

Bhuju Lahyayani. A Brahmin contemporary of Yajnavalkya; he attended a major 
sacrifice celebrated by Janaka of Videha (BU 3.3). Little else is known about him. 

Brahmadatta Caikitaneya. Appears as a teacher in BU 1.3.24; JU 1.37; 1.59. Little 
else is known about him. 

Brahmanaspati. Lit., “the lord of brahman(s),” the term is an epithet of Brhaspati. 

Brhaspati. A deity closely linked to the fire god and to sacred speech, who is wise and 
is the lord of speech and eloquence. He is regarded as the priest of the gods and the 
source of wisdom. Later tradition identifies him with the planet Jupiter and ascribes 
to him, now considered a seer, texts of religious law and politics. 

Budila Asvatarasvi. Also called Vaiyaghrapadya (CU 5.16), he was a rich Brahmin 
said to have been a contemporary of the kings Janaka of Videha and Asvapati 
Kaikeya, as well as of Uddalaka Aruni. He is depicted as somewhat confused and ig- 
norant. 

Caikitayana Dalbhya. Both names appear to be patronymics and occur elsewhere in 
vedic literature with reference to other individuals (see, e.g., Baka). Dalbhya was a 
Brahmin who took part in a discussion with and is subsequently instructed by 
Pravahana Jaivali on the meaning of the High Chant (CU 1.8-9). 

Citra Gangayani. Appears in KsU 1.1 as a king and a contemporary of Svetaketu and 
Uddalaka Aruni. He teaches the latter a doctrine similar to that taught by Pravahana 
Jaivali in BU 6.2 and CU 5.3-10; they are probably versions of the same story with a 
change of the royal character. 

Cula Bhagavitti. Nothing is known about this teacher besides what is found in BU 
6. 3. 9-10. _ 

Dadhyanc Atharvna. A seer who is famous for having revealed to the Asvins the 
place of honey (see BU 2.5.17 n.). 

Dhatr. A minor god connected with creation. In later texts, he is identified with the 
major creator gods Prajapati and Brahma. 

Drptabalaki Gargya. See Gargya Balaki. 

Gandhara. A region in the extreme northwest of the Indian subcontinent (see map). 

Gandharva. In the early vedic literature Gandharvas appear as a class of divine beings 
alongside the gods and the forefathers. They are associated with the Soma drink and 
are said to be fond of females. They are often associated with the celestial nymphs, 
Apsarases. In later literature, especially the epics, the Gandharvas are depicted as ce- 
lestial singers and are associated with music. 


479 



Appendix 


Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja. He is a teacher who is said to have toid Janaka of 
Videha that brahman consists of the power of hearing (BU 4.1.5). 

Gargi VacaknavL One of the few learned women mentioned in the vedic literature, 
she went head to head with Yajnavalkya twice (BU 3.5, 8). Her position among the 
other disputants was strong enough that, once she realized that Yajnavalkya had de- 
feated her, she, in effect, told them to shut up. 

Gargya Balaki. Also called Drptabalaki (“Balaki the Proud”), he comes front a dis- 
tinguished family; Gargyas are mentioned as teachers of liturgy and grammar. The 
episode of his attempting to teach King Ajatasatru of Kasi, who shows up his igno- 
rance, is recorded both in BU 2.1 and in KsU 4.1-20, where he is depicted as a man 
who had traveled widely. 

Gautama. The same as Uddalaka Aruni. 

Ghora Angirasa. Appears as the teacher of Krsna Devakiputra in CU 3.17.6. 
Macdonell and Keith (1912, i. 250-51) regard him as a figment representing the dark 
side of Atharvavedic magical practice. 

Glava Maitreya. A Brahmin connected with Baka Dalbhya in the story of the dogs 
(CU 1.12). 

Gosruti Vaiyaghrapadya. Little is known about him, except that he appears as a 
pupil of Satyakama Jabala in CU 5.2.3 and SA 9.7. 

Haridrumata Gautama. Known only from his appearance in CU 4.4.3 as the teacher 
of the more famous Satyakama Jabala. 

Himavat. The Himalayan mountains personified; the father of Uma in KeU 3.12. 

Hiranyanabha. The name of a prince of Kosala mentioned in PU 6.1. 

IJa. The personification of the milk and ghee offerings poured into the fire, she is said 
to be the mother of the fire god. 

Indra. The most famous of the vedic gods, Indra is called the king of the gods. He is 
powerful and loves to drink Soma. His claim to fame is his victory over Vrtra, a com- 
bat that is given cosmogonic significance. In the Vedas Indra is closely associated 
with rain, and prominence is given to his weapon, the Vajra, conceived of as the 
thunderbolt. In some of the Upanisads, Indra comes to be identified with the ultimate 
self ( atman ). 

Indradyumna Bhallaveya. One of a group of men who went to receive instruction 
from Asvapati Kaikeya about the self (CU 5.11) and about the Vaisvanara fire (SB 
10 . 6 . 1 . 1 ). 

Isana. The term means “lord” and is an epithet of various gods, especially of Rudra. 
Isana is also considered an independent god and is counted as one of the Rudras. 

Jana Sarkaraksya. Mentioned in the same episodes as Indradyumna. 

Janaka of Videha. Perhaps the most famous and prominent of the kings mentioned 
in the Upanisads, Janaka appears already as a renowned king of a distant time in the 
episodes of Ajatasatru of Kasi (BU 2.1.1; KsU 4.1). Videha being to the east of the 
Kuru-Pancala country, the home of the major figures of the Upanisads, Janaka repre- 
sents the growing importance of the eastern regions from which the new religions of 
Buddhism and Jainism would emerge some centuries later. Janaka is presented in the 
SB and the BU as very learned and able to debate the most learned of the Kuru- 
Pancala Brahmins. Although in the BU he usually learns from Yajnavalkya, in one 
episode of the SB (11.6.2) he teaches him the meaning of the daily fire sacrifice. 

Janaki Ayasthuna. Presented as a pupil of Cula Bhagavitti in BU 6.3.10. 

Janasruti Pautrayana. A rich and pious man, possibly a king, who is taught the 
doctrine of the gatherer ( samvargavidya ) by Raikva at CU 4.1. 


480 



Appendix 


Jaratkarava Artabhaga. One of the Brahmins attending Janaka’s sacrifice who is 
defeated in debate by Yajnavalkya (BU 3.2), he is also mentioned as a teacher in SA 
7.20. 

Jatavedas. An epithet of the fire god, Agni. 

Jitvan Sailini. He is mentioned in BU 4.1.1 as teaching Janaka that Brahman is 
speech, a view refuted by Yajnavalkya. 

Kabandha Atharvana. The name of a Gandharva who possessed a woman in BU 
3.7.1. In another version of the story (BU 3.3.1) the Gandharva is identified as Sudh- 
anvan Angiras. 

KabandhI Katyayana. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippalada in the PU 1.1. 

Kahola Kausltakeya. Mentioned in several texts as a contemporary and rival of 
Yajnavalkya"(SB 2.4.3.1; BU 3.5.1). 

Kasi. The old name of the city later known as Varanasi (Benares). Kasi is often con- 
nected with the kingdom of Videha. 

Katyayanl. One of the two wives of Yajnavalkya and depicted as having only 
“womanly interests” (BU 2.4.1; 4.5. 1-2). 

Kauravyayanl. Her son is mentioned at BU 5.1.1. 

Kausalya Asvalayana. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippalada in the PU 3. 

Kausitaki. Patronymic of a teacher or a line of teachers. The name and the doctrines 
ascribed to him are prominent in a number of ancient texts (e.g., SA 2.17; 15.1) and 
two texts, the Kausitaki Brahmana and the KsU, are named after him. A Kausitaki is 
also mentioned in CU 1.5.2, although it is unclear whether it refers to the same indi- 
vidual. 

Kosala. The region east of Videha and closely associated with it and corresponding 
roughly to eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar. 

Krsna Devakiputra. Mentioned in CU 3.17.6 as a pupil of Ghora Angirasa. Al- 
though some have identified this Upanisadic figure as the Krsna of the epics, the 
connection between the two is very doubtful. 

Kumaraharlta. Mentioned as a teacher in BU 6.4.4. Nothing else is known about him. 

Kuril. The name of a people and a region in the upper reaches of the Yamuna and Saras- 
vatl rivers, what is today eastern Punjab and Haryana. The Kurus are regularly associ- 
ated with the Pancalas. 

Madhuka Paingya. Mentioned as a teacher in SB 11.7.2.8 and as a pupil of 
Yajnavalkya in BU 6.3.8. 

Madra. A region located toward the west of Kuru-Pancala around the upper tributaries 
of the Indus (i.e., in today’s Punjab). 

Maghavan. Literally “bountiful,” an epithet frequently ascribed to Indra. 

Mahacamasya. A teacher mentioned in TU 1.5 and credited with adding mahas to the 
three Calls (CU 2.23.2 n.). 

Mahavrsa. A region located toward the northwest of Kuru-Pancala in what is today’s 
Punjab. 

Mahidasa Aitareya. The teacher after whom the Aitareya Brahmana, Aranyaka, and 
Upanisad are named. His longevity is pointed out in CU 3.16.7 and JB 4.2.11, accord- 
ing to which he lived to be 1 16. 

Maitreyl. One of the two wives of Yajnavalkya, who is presented as interested in theo- 
logical matters. Her conversation with her husband, repeated twice, is one of the more 
important sections of the BU (BU 2.4.1; 4.5. 1-2). 

Manu. The first man and the progenitor of all humans, he plays the central role in the 


481 



Appendix 


Indian myth of the flood. Later legends make him also the first lawgiver, and an im- 
portant collection of ancient Indian laws is ascribed to Manu. 

MarutS. A group of gods connected with the wind and thunderstorm and thus associ- 
ated with Indra’s exploits. They are called the sons of Rudra and are often referred to 
in the plural as “the Rudras.” 

Matsya. A region to the southwest of Kuru-Pancala. 

Maudgalya. Patronymic of one Naka mentioned as a teacher in BU 6.4.4 and TU 1.9.1. 

Mitra. A solar god regularly associated with Varuna. 

Mrtyu. Literally “death,” he is associated with the god of death, Yama. In the Upani- 
sads, the term has a range of meanings: death, Death personified, and the god Mrtyu. 

Naciketas. The son of Usan Vajasravas, who gives him over to death. He is the main 
character in the KaU. 

Naimisa. The name of a specially sacred forest. It may have been located somewhere 
along the River Sarasvati. 

Naka. See Maudgalya. 

Narada. This ancient seer is mentioned already in the AV. He attains great importance 
in later times and is regarded as a son of Brahma, a divine seer ( devarsi ), and a mes- 
senger between gods and men. 

Paingya. A famous teacher frequently mentioned in the Kausltaki Brahmana as an 
authority. His views are cited in KsU 2.2. 

Pancala. The central region of vedic civilization, around the Yamuna and Ganga rivers, 
corresponding to the western Uttar Pradesh. The Pancalas are closely associated with 
the Kurus. 

Pariksitas. The patronymic of Janamejaya, the king of Kurus (AB 7.27, 34; 8.11). In 
the plural, the name probably refers to him and his brothers, Ugrasena, Bhlmasena, 
and Srutasena, and more generally to the royal family of the Kurus. It appears that a 
serious scandal was associated with them and that they had atoned for it by means of 
a horse sacrifice. The disappearance of this once famous royal family may be associ- 
ated with the conquest of the Kurus by the Salvas (Witzel 1989, 236; 1997b). See 
also Horsch 1966, 253-55. 

Parjanya. The god of the rain cloud, his main function is to shed rain. He is therefore 
associated with fertility, and the earth is said to be his wife. 

Patancala Kapya. Mentioned in two similar episodes of BU 3.3 and 3.7 in which his 
wife or daughter is possessed by a spirit. He taught the sacrifice in the northwestern 
country of the Madras. 

Paurusisti. The patronymic of one Taponitya mentioned in TU 1.9. 

Pippalada. The sage whose answers to six questions comprise the PU. His name con- 
nects him to the Paippalada recension of the Atharvaveda. 

Praclnasala Aupamanyava. One of the group of Brahmins who received instruc- 
tion from Asvapati Kaikeya ( see also Indradyumna). 

Praclnayogya. The patronymic of Satyayajba Paulusi, although it is applied to a 
variety of teachers (see TU 1 .6.2 and the list of teachers at BU 2.6.2). 

Prajapati. Literally “lord of creatures,” he is the creator god par excellence in the 
Brahmanas and the Upanisads. He is the father of the gods and the demons ( asura ), as 
well as of all creatures. See Gonda 1986a. 

Pratardana Daivodasi. Mentioned in the KsU 3.1 as going to Indra’s world after 
his death in battle, his patronymic “descendant of Divodasa” connects him to the fa- 
mous Rgvedic king Sudas, the son or descendant of Divodasa. Pratardana is also 
mentioned as a king in other vedic texts. 


482 



Appendix 


Pratrda. Mentioned in an episode in BU 5.12.2, where he poses a question to his fa- 
ther. The name is a patronymic of a teacher named Bhalla in the JB 3.31.4. 

Pravahana Jaivali. King of Pancala who appears in BU 6.2 and CU 5.3-10 teaching 
the famous doctrine of the five fires that explains the process of rebirth and in CU 
1.8.1 teaching the meaning of the High Chant. 

Pusan. Closely associated with the sun god, he is viewed as the one who knows the 
paths and conducts the dead safely to the world of the fathers. 

Raikva. A somewhat comical figure from the northwestern region of Mahavrsa, who sat 
scratching his itch under a cart when he was discovered. He taught the doctrine of the 
gatherer to Janasruti at CU 4.1-3. 

Rathitara. The patronymic of one Satyavacas mentioned inTU 1.9. 

Rjlsin. Literally “receiving the residue of Soma,” this is an epithet of Indra. 

Rudra. Generally regarded as a storm god, Rudra has an ambivalent personality. He is 
fierce and feared. He is also a healer, the one who averts the anger of gods. In his be- 
nign aspect he is referred to as siva, “the benign one,” an epithet which becomes the 
name of the later god Siva, with whom Rudra is identified. 

Rudras. In the plural, the term refers to a group of eleven gods, who, together with the 
Adityas and Vasus, constitute the three classes of gods. The Rudras are associated 
with the Maruts; both of these groups are ruled by Rudra. 

Sadhyas. A group of somewhat ill-defined deities, said to occupy a region above that 
of the gods. 

Saibya Satyakama. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippalada in the PU 5. 

Samasravas. A pupil of Yajnavalkya in BU 3.1.2. 

Sanatkumara. He, together with Sanaka, Sanandana, and Sanatana, are the mind-born 
sons of the creator god Brahma. They are reputed for their knowledge and for lifelong 
celibacy. 

Sandilya. He is one of important teachers of the fire ritual in the SB, to whom is as- 
cribed a famous doctrine bearing his name, “Sandilya-doctrine” ( sandilyavidya ), in 
SB 10.6.3 and CU 3.14. There is some confusion, however, in the literature because 
this patronymic may have belonged to several teachers (see Udarasandilya). Al- 
though Sandilya is associated with texts belonging to the eastern regions, Witzel 
(1989, 204) has pointed out that the Sandilya tradition may have had its origins fur- 
ther west and spread later to the east. 

Sarasvatl. The most celebrated river of the vedic age (although its identity in the 
early period is not altogether certain), it is personified as a goddess. In the Brah- 
manas she becomes identified with speech and the goddess of speech, and in later 
mythology Sarasvatl is the goddess of eloquence and wisdom (BU 6.4.27). 

Satvan. A region located around the southern tributaries of the Yamuna River and 
associated with the land of Matsya (KsU 4.1). 

Satyakama Jabala. In one of the most moving stories of the Upanisads, Satyakama’ s 
mother, Jabala, confesses to her son that he was bom out of wedlock and that she 
does not know who his father is. She asks him to call himself the “son of Jabala” 
(Jabala), thus adopting a matronymic. This open truthfulness so impresses his 
teacher, Haridrumata Gautama, that he initiates him into vedic study (CU 4.4-9). Sat- 
yakama appears as a teacher in several other vedic texts (e.g., BU 4.1.6), and he is said 
to be a pupil of Janaki Ayasthuna in BU 6.3.1 1. 

Satyayajna Paulusi. Also called Praclnayogya, he is one of the group of Brahmins 
who receive instruction from Asvapati Kaikeya (see Indradyumna). 

Saunaka Kapeya. Saunaka is a common patronymic applied to a variety of teachers 


483 



Appendix 


(MuU 1.1.3). Kapeyais mentioned in connection with Abhipratarin Kaksaseni in CU 
4.3.5, and the JB (3.1.21; 1.59.2) identifies him as the latter’s domestic priest. 

Sauryayani Gargya. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippaiada in the PU 4. 

Savitr. The god associated with the stimulating power of the sun. He is the deity in- 
voked in the most celebrated of vedic verses, the Gayatri or the Savitri (RV 3.62.10). 

Silaka Salavatya. Nothing more is known about this teacher except for what is con- 
tained in CU 1.8.1, where he is depicted as a contemporary of Pravahana Jaivali. 

Sinlvall. Together with Raka, she is a goddess associated with the phases of the moon. 
Raka is connected with the full moon and Sinivali with the first day of the new moon. 

Soma. A sacrificial drink pressed from a plant, a drink that apparently had mind- 
altering qualities. The drink is personified as a god and later identified with the 
moon. Thus the term often simply means the moon (see BU 1.3.24 n.). 

Sudhanvan Angiras. The name of a Gandharva who possessed a woman in BU 3.3.1, 
while in another version of the story (BU 3.7.1) the Gandharva is identified as 
Kabandha Atharvana. 

Sukesa Bharadvaja. A learned Brahmin who questioned Pippaiada in the PU 6. 

Suskabhrngara. We know him only from KsU 2.6, where he teaches that brahman is 
Uktha (BU 1.6.1 n.), indicating that he was possibly a teacher of the Rgvedic tradi- 
tion. 

Svetaketu Aruneya. Son of the famous teacher Uddalaka Aruni, his dialogue with a 
king, variously identified as Pravahana Jaivali (BU 6.2; CU 5.3-10) and Citra 
Gangayani (KsU 1.1-2), sets the scene for the exposition of the important doctrine of 
the five fires and the theory of transmigration. Although he is made a contemporary 
of Yajnavalkya and Janaka of Videha in SB 11.6.2, this cannot be accepted at face 
value because his father is also a contemporary of these in BU 3.7. Svetaketu is often 
depicted as a haughty young man contrasting sharply with the humility of his father. 
He is regarded as a wise sage and seer in later literature, but his late date is hinted at 
in the Apastamba Dharmasutra (1.2. 5. 4-6), which calls him a man of recent times. 

Svetasvatara. The teacher of the doctrine presented in the SU, after whom the 
Upanisad is named. 

Trisanku. A sage mentioned in TU 1.10, identified in later literature as a king of 
Ayodhya who desired to go to heaven with his body and became the southern cross 
constellation. 

Tvastr. Described as a skilled workman, he is the father of Indra. He is a guardian of 
Soma and thus attracts the hostility of his son, who wants to take possession of the 
drink. Soma is often called the “honey of Tvastr,” and it is in this capacity that he re- 
vealed to Dadhyanc the place of honey, i.e.. Soma. This is the basis for the reference at 
BU 2.5.17. 

Udanka Saulbayana. Mentioned as a teacher already in the TS (7. 5.4.2). At BU 4.1.3 
he tells Janaka of Videha that brahman is the lifebreath. 

Udarasandiiya. Little is known about him apart from what is mentioned in CU 1.9.3. 
He was the pupil of Atidhanvan Saunaka. 

Uddalaka Aruni. Also bearing the name Gautama, he was a famous teacher from the 
Kuru-Pancala region and the father of the equally famous Svetaketu. Even though in 
BU 6.3.7 he is said to have been Yajnavalkya’s teacher, elsewhere Yajnavalkya is pre- 
sented as an equal of Uddalaka and as defeating Uddalaka in debate (BU 3.7). The en- 
tire sixth chapter of the CU is devoted to Uddalaka’s exposition of the “existent” 
(sat) as the source of all things, where he presents this novel doctrine rejecting the 
old view that the “existent” emerged from the “nonexistent.” 


484 



Appendix 


Uma. The daughter of Himavat in KeU 3.12. In later mythology she is also called 
Parvati (“daughter of the mountain”) and becomes the wife of Siva. 

Upakosala Kamalayana. Said to have been a pupil of Satyakama Jabala in CU 4.10. 

Usan Vajasravas. The father of Naciketas in KU 1.1. He referred to as Gautama (KaU 
1.10), and Naciketas is called the son of Uddalaka Aruni at KaU 1.11 (see, however, 
the note to this). If this is true, then Usan is the same as Uddalaka, and Naciketas is 
the same as, or the brother of, Svetaketu. 

Usasta Cakrayana. Called Usasti in CU 1.10.1, he is there depicted as a learned but 
poor Brahmin who managed to outwit the priests of a sacrifice by his superior knowl- 
edge of the sacrificial chants. In BU 3.5, he is one of the Kuru-Pancala Brahmins who 
are defeated in debate by Yajnavalkya. 

Uslnara. The location of this region is uncertain, but it must have been near the heart- 
land of Brahmanism of this period represented by Kuru-Pancala and Kasi. 

Vajasravas. See Usan Vajasravas. 

Vaiyaghrapadya. The patronymic of both Indradyumna Bhallaveya (CU 5.14) and 
Budila Asvatarasvi (CU 5.16). 

Varuna. One of the great gods in early vedic literature, he is viewed as the grand sover- 
eign and upholder of the natural and moral order. He becomes increasingly associated 
with the waters, and his residence comes to be located within the ocean. In the period 
represented by the Brahmanas and the Upanisads, Varuna’s cosmic role fades with the 
emergence of Prajapati as the supreme creator god. 

Vasus. A group of eight gods distinguished from the Adityas and Rudras, although 
their general character and specific identities remain rather vague. 

Vidagdha Sakalya. A teacher who, according to the SB (11.6.3.3), volunteered to 
debate with Yajnavalkya on behalf of the assembled Brahmins (see BU 3.9). He is also 
reported to have told Janaka of Videha that brahman is the heart (BU 4.1.7). 

Videha. A region located northeast of Kasi and east of Kosala, with which it is closely 
associated. Corresponds roughly to northern Bihar. 

Virocana. The son of Prahlada, who is viewed in the CU 8.7.2 as occupying a position 
among demons parallel to that of Indra among the gods. In later mythology both he 
and his father are viewed as pious and kind demons. 

Visnu. The great god of later Hinduism, who is a somewhat minor solar deity in the 
vedic literature. He is especially associated with his three steps with which he meas- 
ured the three worlds, his third step being viewed as the highest heaven. These steps 
are connected in the SB (1.2.5) with Visnu’s assuming the shape of a dwarf and thus 
tricking a demon, who had conquered the world, into letting him have a small piece 
of land where he could lie down. Upon being granted the land, Visnu assumed his 
normal size and strode through the three worlds, securing them for the gods. 

Visvavasu. A Gandharva who is regarded as fond of women and is a rival of the hus- 
band during the first night after the wedding. 

Visvedeva. Literally “All-gods,” the term came to be applied to a class of gods dis- 
tinct from the Adityas, Rudras, and Vasus. Their number is fixed as thirteen, and in 
later Brahmanical rites offerings to this group occupy a prominent place. 

Vratya. The term is used in ancient literature to refer to groups of people, at least some 
of whom appear to have led a wandering or a nomadic life. There is no consensus 
among scholars regarding the identity of Vratya. Falk (1986a) has shown that the 
Vratyas were probably “poor, mostly young Brahmins and Ksatriyas who in search of 
a “start capital” form a dark, ominous sodality which demands ransom from the local, 
well-settled grhasthas [householders] and even from the kings” (Witzel 1989, 235- 


485 



Appendix 


36). Already in some vedic texts, however, the Vratya is presented as a mysterious, 
powerful, and even divine person. In later times the term is used to refer to either 
mixed-caste people or to Brahmins who have not undergone vedic initiation. See also 
Horsch 1966, 401-20. 

Yajnavalkya. He occupies a central position in the SB as an authority on ritual mat- 
ters and in the BU as a teacher of esoteric doctrines. Traditionally credited with the 
composition of the White Yajurveda, his final settlement with his two wives, 
Katyayani and Maitreyl, and his subsequent departure from home into possibly an 
ascetic way of life are narrated twice in the BU at 2.4 and 4.5. In the BU he appears as a 
humorous, sarcastic, and often irreverent figure. 

Yama. The Indian god of death from the most ancient period of vedic mythology until 
contemporary times. In ancient myths he is called king and divine characteristics are 
ascribed to him, but he comes to be identified with death itself ( see Mrtyu) and many 
of the negative aspects of death become associated with Yama. Later myths associate 
him with judgment and punishment of the dead. 


486 



NOTES 


The numbers that cue the notes refer to the internal divisions of the text. The textual 
variants in each division are given first and are cued by endnote reference numbers. 
Substantive comments are given after the variants and are cued by italicized words of 
the translation. 


i Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 


ADHYAYA 1 

1.1 1. vr in Maue (1976) avantara-. — 2. vr in Maue (197 6) asthani. — 3. 1 have removed 
the danda printed texts of the BU(K) generally insert after mamsani. This danda is un- 
necessary and breaks the list of connected items. I have inserted a danda after vaisva- 
narah to indicate the separate treatment I note here between the head and the body. 
— 4. vr in Maue (1976) vklhunute (for a discussion of this, see Maue 1976, 44-48). 

sacrificial horse : regarding the horse sacrifice, see Int., p. 19. Here the bodily parts and 
activities of the sacrificial horse are equated with the diverse elements and phenomena 
of the universe (Int., p. 24). To understand some of the homologies, we must visualize 
the horse as standing facing the east (the same is true at BU 1 .2.3). The head of the 
horse is here clearly distinguished from the body, and two sets of cosmic realities are 
related to elements of the head and the body, respectively. For a parallel, see TS 
7.5.25, which concludes the Taittirfya Samhita. 

fire common to all men: this fire ( vaisvanara ) is somewhat ill-defined. It often refers to 
the sun, but also to the digestive fire in the body (BU 5.9) and to a specific ritual fire. 
Speculations regarding the identity of this fire (cf. SB 10.6.1) are found in the Brah- 
manas, and those speculations dovetail into the search for the identity of brahman and 
the self in the Upanisads (cf. CU 5.11). 

body: on the uses of the important term atman, see Int., p. 22. The term frequently, as 
in this passage, refers to the physical body, here distinguished from the head, or to a 
living body as distinct from a corpse (BU 1.2.7). Throughout these Upanisads the two 
closely related meanings of “body” and “self’ (as the essential core of a human being) 
are present whenever the term atman is used, even though the one or the other meaning 
may occupy the foreground within a particular context (see CU 5. 1 8.2 n.). 

stomach contents: on the meaning of the term uvadhyam, see Maue 1976, 43. 

1 .2 sacrificial cup: the reference is to two special cups used for the Soma drink. Here these 
cups arc identified with the day and the night. 


487 



BU 1.1.2 


Notes 


1.2 demons: see BU 1.3.1 n. 

counterpart: on the technical meaning of this term (cf. BU 4.1.2), see Int., p. 24. 

2 This section deals simultaneously with cosmogony and with the establishment of the 
horse sacrifice. 

2.1 1. BU(M) [but not Bbhtlingk 1889a], Maue (1976; see also p. 49) arkyasydrkatvam ; vr 
in Maue (1976) -drkyatvam. 

In the beginning . . . in this way: this is a passage full of wordplay and phonetic 
equivalences (see Int., p. 25). The Sanskrit verb arc- may mean “to recite liturgical 
texts” or “to shine,” and it is related to the term arka, whose meanings include liturgi- 
cal recitation, radiance, and lightning; it is also a technical term for a special sacred fire 
used in the horse sacrifice. The term ka has several meanings, most important water 
and pleasure. All these meanings of the terms appear to be implied in this long and in- 
tricate wordplay establishing connections among various things. Knowledge of these 
connections is facilitated by the perceived etymological relations between the words. 
The Sanskrit abstract nouns used to indicate these relationships imply both how a word 
originated and the true nature of the thing denoted by that word. I regularly use the 
somewhat awkward and long expression “gave the name to and discloses the true na- 
ture of” to convey the pregnant meaning of the simple Sanskrit abstract nouns in these 
contexts. 

death: as we see in the next section, the creative work of death, here personified as a 
deity, probably Prajapati (see SB 10.4.3.1-3), has both a ritual and a sexual dimension. 
Both involve toil ( tapas ) and exertion ( srama ), two activities connected both with the 
ritual endeavors of the priests and the creative activities of the gods; see Kaelber 1989; 
Olivelle 1993,9-11. 

water sprang from him: the water created by death is the cosmic waters, identified in 
the next section with the waters of the ocean whose foam created the dry land. 

2.2 1 . vr in Maue (1976) asramat. — 2. LV tejoraso. 

his essence: the term rasa can mean semen, and here within the context of Prajapati’ s 
sexual intercourse with the earth ( prthivi , feminine) that is probably the meaning. 

2.3 1. vr in Maue (1976) cemau. — 2. vr in Maue (1976) sakthnyau. 

He divided this body: the body that death received was fire. Of the three parts, one 
remained as fire (which is left unstated in the passsage), while the other two became 
the sun and the wind. 

the souteast and the northeast: the Sanskrit reads asau casau ca (“that and that”) used 
here deictically to refer to the intermediate quarters, southeast, northeast, etc. Such ex- 
pressions are common in these texts and testify to their oral character (see BU 1 .4.6 n. 
and “Note on the Translation”). 

2.4 1. 1 follow Maue (1976), BU(M); most BU(K) editions read asandya.. — 2. vr in Maue 
(1976) abhibhar. 

So, by means of... with hunger: According to the reading in most BU(K) editions, the 
translation would be: “. . . mind, death, that is, hunger, copulated with speech.” 


488 



Notes 


BU 1.3.1 


bhan : this term has a double meaning in Sanskrit. It is both the cry of a baby and a 
verbal root meaning “to speak.’’ 

2.5 1. prajam, following Maue (1976), several of his mss, and BU(M); most BU(K) edi- 

tons and Samkara read prajah. — 2. BU(M), Senart (1934) sarvasyattd. 

this whole world : see BU 1.4.9-10 n. 

eater of this whole world: food is a central theme in these documents. The metaphor of 
eater and food is used frequently to indicate the power of one over another. The rich 
and powerful are often compared to the eater, and the poor and weak to the food: see 
Rau 1957, 34-35; Geib 1976; Smith 1990. A good example of this metaphor is KsU 
2.9. Eating the whole world, thus, means total dominion over the world. 

2.7 1. -rudhyeva- following Maue (1976), several of his mss., some mss. of Samkara’ s 

commentary on BU(K), and BU(M): see the note to the translation; most editions of 
BU(K) read -rudhyaiva-. — 2. Most BU(K) editions add /ia; 1 follow Maue (1976), 
most of his mss., and BU(M) in omitting ha. — 3. vr in Maue (1976) sa. — 4. Boht- 
lingk (1889a) mrtyur evapah / punar. — 5. BU(M) adds sarvam dyur eti (see BU 
2.1.10, 12). — 6. BU(M) adds y a evam veda. 

Because it bloated . . horse sacrifice: the use of the augment a of the past tense (as- 
vat), Mehendale (1960-61) points out, may indicate that the etymology points not just 
at the word but also at a past event signified by the word. 

not to be confined in any way: at a horse sacrifice, the sacrificial horse is let loose to 
wander at will for a year, during which time the king has to guard it without confining 
it. 1 follow the emendation suggested by Maue (1976, 58): tarn anavarudhyam iva- 
manyata (see Brereton 1982, 449). 

repeated death: In this sentence, the usual “whoever knows this” is probably implied 
(see BU 3.2.7; 3.3.2). The meaning of repeated death is not altogether clear, but the 
implication is that a person subject to this type of death would die a second or third 
time after his natural death on earth. This idea is important because it probably influ- 
enced the development of the pivotal doctrines of later religion: rebirth and karma. 
This concept does not exist in the early vedic texts, and its use is limited almost exclu- 
sively to the late vedic texts. For a discussion of this concept in vedic texts and the 
possible location of its origin, see Witzel 1989, 201-5. In his recent treatment of this 
topic, Bodewitz (1996a, 36) claims that the concept of repeated death “introduced to- 
gether with its solution and with emphasis on this solution, reflects the reaction of the 
ritualists to attempts made by non-ritualists to devalue the ritualistic claims. These 
ritualists probably tried to refute the opinion of other circles that ultimately the merits 
become exhausted in heaven.” For death becoming one’s own body, see SB 10.5.2.23. 

3.1 1. vr in Maue (1976) ya. —2. vr in Maue (1976) aspardhata. 

gods and demons: in vedic mythology the gods ( deva ) were viewed as the natural ad- 
versaries of the demons ( asura ). The term “demon” is somewhat misleading because 
both these classes are divine beings, here said to be the children of the same creator 
god/father, human beings the third class of his children (BU 5.2.1; CU 1.2.1). Ancient 
Iranian evidence from the Avesta show that ahura (= asura) was a term applied to high 
gods. In India, however, the asuras became demoted to a lower level and came to be 
viewed as demoniac and evil, even though the ancient meaning survives, as when the 


489 



BU 1.3.1 


Notes 


epithet asura is applied to gods such as Varuna and Mitra. Gods were able to prevail 
over the demons because of their superior knowledge of the ritual techniques. 

High Chant (udgitha): the central part of a five-part hymn ( stotra ) sung during a Soma 
sacrifice (see CU 1. 1.8-9 n.; 2.2.1 n.). In the Upanisads, the High Chant is often identi- 
fied with the mystic syllable OM with which the High Chant opens (cf. CU 1.1. If.). 
The importance of this chant in the ritual and the Upanisadic ritual speculation is evi- 
denced by the frequency of its use in the Upanisads, especially the CU. For a study of 
udgithavidya in the Upanisads and in later Vedanta, see Strauss 1931. 

3.2-6 1. te’vidur (imperfect: Whitney 1889, 237) I follow Maue (1976) and BU(M); editions 
of BU(K) read te vidur (perfect); Maue (1976, 110) notes that the accent te makes the 
perfect impossible. 

speech: the reference here, and in parallel passages elsewhere in the Upanisads, is not 
to the external organs such as the eye or the ear but to the faculties of speech, sight, 
hearing, and thought, and to the power of breathing that gives vitality to all the facul- 
ties (Int., p. 22). These vital functions are here and elsewhere personified and are often 
referred to as “deities” (cleva): see BU 1.3.9 n. Discussions of the superiority of breath 
over the other vital functions are frequent: AA 2.1.4; BU 1.5.21; 6.1.1-14; CU 5.1.6- 
5.2.2; KsU 2.13; 3.3; PU 2.1-4. 


Udgatr: see Int., p. 18. 

3.7 1. vr in Maue (1976) - navidhyatsan , - navivyantsan , -navidhyantsan, -ndvklhyan. 

3.8 Ayasya: this etymological play derives the term for the breath within the mouth (aya- 
sya) from ayam (“here”) asye (“within the mouth”); the term is further seen as related 
to a well-known seer Ayasya Atigirasa, the latter term being derived from “of the bod- 
ily parts” ( ahga ) “the essence” (rasa). Titus breath is seen as what gives life and vital- 
ity to the various parts of the body. In the parallel passage at BU 1.3.19, a part of the 
body from which breath departs is said to wither. 

3.9 this same deity: i.e., the breath within the mouth. The term devata (and also deva: lit., 
“god” or “deity”) is used in these texts with a broad range of meanings that may appear 
confusing to the English reader with a restricted notion of divinity. Often, as in this and 
the following passages (§§ 10-18), the term refers to various vital functions of the 
body. In other instances, the term is used with reference to cosmic realities, such as the 
sun, moon, and fire. In a similar way, the phrase “the divine sphere” ( adhidaivam ) re- 
fers to these cosmic entities, as opposed to what pertains to the human body 
(i adhydtmam ): see BU 1.5.22. 

3.11 1. vr in Maue (1976) -thaitd. 

3.14 1. vr in Maue (1976) adds ha. 

3.16 1 . vr in Weber candram. 

3.17 supply of food: I translate the somewhat unclear compound annadya as “supply of 
food” or “foodstuff.” The first term, anna, means “food”; the second term may be ei- 
ther adya or adya (Rau 1957, 34) and may mean “fit to be eaten” or simply “food.” 
What the compounding of these terms specifically means is unclear. Sometimes the 
compound appears to be synonymous with the simple anna (“food”). I think, however, 
that the expression has the meanings of ‘the food that is under one’s control” (that is, 
food that one can consume independently, as opposed to food that one must receive 


490 



Notes 


BU 1.3.26 


from others) and •‘foodstuff’ (that is, anything that may be used as food). Since I wrote 
the above note, the detailed study of the terms anna and annadya by Weber-Brosamer 
(1988) has come to my attention. His conclusion parallels mine in viewing the two 
terms as distinct, annadya referring to “Nahrungsmittel.” See also Willman-Grabow- 
ska 1927-28, 2, 47-50; she concludes that the compound may mean an abundance of 
food. 

3.18 1. Senart (1934) -visan (without comment; oversight?) 

3.19 Ayasya: see BU 1.3.8 n.; cf. CU 6.1 1. 

3.20 Brhatl : a type of meter with thirty-six syllables in a stanza of four lines with eight, 
eight, twelve, and eight syllables, respectively. The term can also mean “large” or 
“great”. 

3.21 1. BU(M) adds ha. 

Brahman : the term here means a sacred utterance, especially the ritual formulas con- 
tained in the Vedas. In this sense, the term is often used as a synonym of Veda. The 
transition, however, from this and similar meanings to “formulation of truth” (see BU 
2.1.1 n.) and finally to the abstract meaning of the source of reality or the absolute re- 
ality is made easily and imperceptibly; often several of these meanings appear to oper- 
ate at the same time. See Hillebrandt 1926; Gonda 1950; Thieme 1952. 

3.22-23 And it is .. . it is the High Chant-, see CU 1 .6.1-8 for a parallel text. 

Saman: a liturgical text that is sung, as opposed to others, such as Rg and Yajus, that 
are recited. The Samans are contained in the Samaveda. See Int., p. 8. 

held up: the prefix ut in Sanskrit can indicate several related senses, including up, high, 
and loud. This allows it to be connected with uttabdha (‘held up”). 

3.24 King Soma: Soma, the drink that was at the heart of the vedic ritual (Int., p. 19), was 
divinized early in vedic mythology. He is often identified with the moon, and “king” is 
frequently attached to his name. See Macdonell 1898, 104-15. 

make my head shatter apart: this expression has been subject to much discussion. The 
Sanskrit verb vi-^pat can have the meaning “fly off in many directions” or “burst 
asunder.” The expression, as Insler (1989-90) has pointed out, may have been used 
metaphorically at first to mean something like our colloquial use “blow your mind” or 
“go nuts.” Thus, when one inquires too much about things better left alone, one may 
say “you will go crazy if you continue to think about it” (see this usage in BU 3.6.1). 
The metaphor may have been turned into a threat and a curse with fatal consequences 
later on, and the myth of the shattering of Sakalya’s head (see BU 3.9.26) may have 
been the basis of this transformation. 

3.25-26 wealth, gold. . . tone: the connection between “wealth” (sva) and “tone” ( svara ) is 
established by their phonetic similarity in Sanskrit. In a similar way, “gold” ( suvarna ) 
is related to tone. 

voice, speech: throughout this passage, the translation uses “speech” and “voice” to 
translate the same Sanskrit word vac, a word that captures both meanings. 

3.26 1. vr in Mauc (1976) suvarna. — 2. vr in Maue (1976) ha. 


491 



BU 1.3.28 


Notes 


3.28 purificatory lauds \pavamana or bahispavamana]: a set of ritual formulas sung at a 
Soma sacrifice (see CU 1.12.4 n.; 2.2.1 n.). The entire ritual is too complex to be de- 
scribed here. For a description (which may be too technical for the ordinary reader), 
see Kane 1 962-75, ii, 1 166-70. 

Prastotr : one of the Samavedic priests, the chief among whom is the Udgatr. See Int., 

p. 18. 

Introductory Praise: the first of the five parts into which a Saman is divided. For a 
detailed description, see CU 2.2.1 n. 

world conquest: the possession of a world or a living space ( loka ) is one of the main 
objectives of the vedic religious practice. Proper rituals, ritual knowledge, and a son 
are all said to assure a person of such a world after death. For extended meanings of 
this term, see BU 1.4. 16. For a detailed discussion, see Gonda 1966. 

4.3 1 . vr in Maue (1976) aiprcchat. — 2. vr in Maue ( 1 976) -brgalam iva, -vrgalam iva. 

space hare: probably a reference to the space within the heart. There are frequent ref- 
erences to copulation taking place within the heart: SB(M) 10.5.2.1 1. 

4.4 1. Maue (1976), vr in LV rsabha. — 2. Maue (1976) valave vr in Maue (1976) va- 
lave~. — 3. vr in Maue (1976) vasta. — 4. BU(M), vr in LV avir itaro [i.e., aviritara 
Ml- 

4.5 From this “creation” came into being: the term “creation” probably refers both to the 
physical creation and to the term “creation” (BU 1.2.1 n.), highlighting the close asso- 
ciation in vedic thought between an object and its name (see also BU 1.4.1). The same 
close connection is found in the frequently used expression “name and visible appear- 
ance” ( [namarupa ) to indicate a distinct physical reality (e.g., BU 1.4.7). This account 
of creation shows how both things and their names originated. 

4.6 1 . vr in Maue ( 1 976) hy evani. — 2. Maue ( 1 976) omits sarvam. 

churned like this: this is a good example of the oral nature of these texts. The reciter 
would have demonstrated, by churning with his palms and blowing with his mouth, 
exactly what “like this” meant. The reference is to how a fire is produced by using a 
fire-drill, which consists of a bottom slab with a center depression on which a long 
stick is twirled either with the hands or using a string wrapped around it. The resultant 
friction ignited the tinder placed on the slab. The blowing with the mouth would make 
the fire blaze. The depression on the slab is often compared to a vagina, and the 
churning stick to a penis. The entire production of fire by this method has highly sex- 
ual connotations, as suggested by the rest of this passage dealing with semen. The fire 
that chars the depression in the slab makes it smooth and without fibrous material 
(hair), just like the insides of a vagina; the text also points out the original reason why 
the mouth and palms lost their hair. Here, too, the oral nature is evident, because the 
text only says: “the inner sides of both these are without hail 1 ’; the reciter would then 
be pointing to his palms and mouth. See Note on the Translation, p. xxi-xxii. 

Food and eater: see BU 1.2.5 n. For an explanation of how the elements of the uni- 
verse constitute food and cater of food, see AA 2.3.1. 

gods superior to brahman: see BU 1 .4. 1 1 . 


492 



Notes 


BU 1.4.12 


4.7 1. Muller (1879-84), Bohtlingk (1889a) asau natna (for the compound asaunama). 
— 2. vr in Maue (1976) eva. 

name and visible appearance : see BU 1.4.5 n. The term rupa has been traditionally 
translated as “form.” I believe that this is misleading, especially if we give “form” a 
philosophical, or even Aristotelian, connotation. Bodewitz (1985) has shown that 
visvariipa (lit., “omniform”), a term used especially with reference to the sun (see, e.g., 
CU 5.13.1) and gold, actually means having many shining colors, and therefore glit- 
tering or dazzling: “Evidence for the interpretation of the -rupa compounds as refer- 
ring to color and outward impression (‘glitter’) rather than to form has been adduced 
from the oldest Vedic literature” (Bodewitz 1985, 16). The term rupa may refer to 
more than mere color (e.g., also to shape; see Geldner 1911, 128, n. 694), but it clearly 
indicates the way something appears to our sight (see BU 1 .6.2). 

termite : the meaning of the term visvambhara (also at KsU 4.20), here translated as 
“termite,” is unclear. Suggested meanings include “fire,” “insect,” and “scorpion”: see 
Hume’s note to BU 1.4.7 and Frenz’s (1968-69) translation of KsU 4.20. The term 
may refer not specifically to termites, but to ants and anthills in general. 

4.8 it is dearer: on the self as the most dear thing, see BU 2.4.5; 4.5.6. 

4.9-10 the Whole: the exact sense of the term sarva, here translated as “the Whole,” has 
been much debated. As Gonda 1955a has shown, the term in its earliest usage did not 
mean “everything” but carried the sense of completeness, wholeness, and health. It is, 
thus, opposed to what is partial, broken, sick, or hurt. In the Upanisads the term is used 
to indicate not all things in the universe but a higher-level totality that encompasses the 
universe. Gonda (1955a, 64) observes that the phrase sarvam khalv idam brahma at 
CU 3.14.1 does not mean “‘Brahman is everything here,’ but ‘Brahman is the com- 
plete here, this whole (one),’ or: 'Brahman is what is the whole, complete here, is what 
is entire, perfect, with no part lacking, what is safe and well etc., i.e. Completeness, 
Totality, the All seen as the Whole.’” Unless the context dictates otherwise, I translate 
sarvam throughout as “the Whole” and the phrase klam sarvam as “this whole world.” 
To the English reader the term “whole” should evoke the senses of totality and com- 
pleteness (all there is), as well as perfection, soundness, and wholesomeness. 

4.11 1. Senart (1934), vrin Maue (1976) y ad y ad api. 

4.11 In the beginning . . . better than him: brahman, the source of the universe, is here con- 
nected with both the priestly power and the Brahmin class (see BU 1.4.15), while the 
ruling power and the Ksatriya class are connected with the gods. Thus the Brahmin be- 
comes the source or womb (yoni) of the Ksatriya, even as the Ksatriya surpasses the 
Brahmin in power. On a Brahmin prostrating himself before a Ksatriya, see Rau 1957, 
70. Note that here and in the following paragraphs the terms for the power or state of a 
Brahmin, Ksatriya, etc. ( brahma , ksatra) can at the same time refer to actual people of 
these social classes ( brahmana , ksatriya). 

worse [paplyan], better [sreyan]: these terms should be understood within the context 
of the class distinctions existent within ancient Indian society. The “worse” are people 
who are poor and powerless, while the “better” are the rich and the powerful. The two 
terms frequently refer specifically to the economic standing of a person, as at CU 
4.16.3. For a discussion of these terms, see Rau 1957, 32-34. 

4.12 Vasus . . . Maruts: on these divine groups, see BU 3. 9.2-5; CU 3.16.1 n., 3 n., 5 n. 


493 



BU 1.4.14 


Notes 


4. 1 4 1 . vr in Maue (1976) vaclatam . 

4.15 1 . LV suggest emending brdhmano to hrdhmanena, and regard ksatriyena . . . sudrah 
as an interpolation. — 2. BU(M), Senart (1934), vr in LV yacl it ha (Weber reads yadi 
ha vd but under “various readings” (p. 1180) says: “read: yad it ha va.” 

find a world: see BU 1 .3.28 n. 

after his death: the Sanskrit term antatah may also mean “in the end.” I do not think, 
however, that the reference here is to the exhaustion of merit in a heavenly world, 
which, within the context of the rebirth theory, causes a man to be reborn again in this 
world. 

produce whatever he desires: see CU 8.2. 

4.16 1. vr in Maue (1976) sajjuhoti. — 2. vr in Maue (1976) nimrndti, nispidti. — 3. 
BU(M) places yat prajdm icchate before yat pitrhhyo. —4. BU(M), Senart (1934) add 
sarvada. 

he makes offerings and sacrifices: the words for making offerings and sacrifices ( juhod 
and yajate) are technical terms. The first refers to the pouring of ghee ( homa ) into the 
offertorial fire while saying svdhii, while the second is the oblation of various sacrifi- 
cial materials while saying vasal. Together they appear to comprehend all forms of 
sacrificial acts. Becoming a world here may be a reference to the doctrine of debts: 
Olivelle 1993, 46-53. 

4.17 1. BU(M), Senart (1934), vr in LV vindati. — 2. BU(M) adds yad idam kim ca. 
the full extent of desire: see BU 3.5.1; 4.4.22. 

hear it with their hearing: the object of hearing is probably the Vedas, which constitute 
a man’s divine wealth. 

fivefold: five was a sacred number. The sacrifice is frequently said to be fivefold, and a 
variety of reasons are given for this, for example, the five types of vegetable offerings 
(TS 6.5.1 1.4). Further, the year consists of the five seasons, the four common ones plus 
the rainy season. Here the fivefoldness of reality is reduced to the five components of a 
human being. To obtain five one has to combine sight and hearing, which procure the 
two types of wealth. The divine weallh one hears is probably the Veda. A man’s com- 
pleteness is to be found within himself, and not in a wife, son, or ritual. See Olivelle 
1993, 54. 

5.1 1 . Bohtlingk ( 1 889a) due me. — 2. Bohtlingk ( 1 889a) trini atma- me. — 3. LV, vr in 
Maue (1976) vaitam for vai tam (also at BU 1.5.2). 

Why area ’t they exhausted: the reference is to the seven kinds of food. Horsch (1966, 
152) thinks that this half- verse is interpolated. 

The man who knows it: i.e., food. This is a difficult passage and the translation is un 
certain. The sense appears to be that a man who knows food to be inexhaustible and 
the reason for its being inexhaustible (i.e., the Person) assures himself of an inex- 
haustible supply of food. 

5.2 1. Bohtlingk (1889a) due me. — 2. Maue (1976) pralileha-. — 3. vr in Maue (1976) 
apunar - for apapunar-. — 4. vr in Maue (1976) api na gacchati. 


494 



Notes 


BU 1.5.14 


one should not offer sacrifices endlessly: the meaning of istiyajuka , which I have 
translated “offer sacrifices endlessly,” is unclear. Others take isti as “wish” and trans- 
late: “one should not sacrifice to obtain a wish.” But the context favors interpreting isti 
as sacrifice. Perhaps the meaning is that the new- and full-moon sacrifices are suffi- 
cient, and one should not sacrifice all the time. A similar view is expressed later with 
reference to the offering of milk during a whole year, the author asserting that one 
needs to do that just once. 

All beings depend . . . that do not: the statement that those who breathe, as well as those 
that do not, live on milk is unclear. Perhaps those that do not breathe may be fetuses, 
who live on the mother’s blood (= milk), or plants that live on milky sap. 

repeated death: see BU 1.2.7 n. 

Person: I regularly translate the Sanskrit term purusa as “Person” unless the term re- 
fers clearly to a male human being. The term literally means “man,” but in this litera- 
ture it has cosmological and cosmogonic dimensions and often refers to the creator. 

5.3 1. Bohtlingk (1889a) trini atma- me. — 2. vr in Maue (1976) blur ety for blur ity. 
— 3. Bohtlingk (1889a) upasrsto. — 4. vr in Weber hyantam. — 5. Senart (1934) 
tanmayo. 

Every sound . . . the latter is not: the phrase “for the former is fixed up to its limit [i.e., 
on speech], whereas the latter is not [fixed on anything] ” is extremely o